Environmental Fridays

I designed, developed, and manage an ongoing public science program called Environmental Fridays. Its aim is to inspire, engage, and mentor high school students, college students, youth, and the public in critical and socially responsible thinking about environmental, scientific, technological, sustainability and justice questions that intersects with public health, medicine, energy, urbanization, climate change, and air, water, and soil pollution. It also addresses needs and deficiencies in our system regarding basic environmental education.

Environmental Fridays emerged from my desire and decision to make chemistry more real, relevant and interesting to my high school students. It began in my Grade 10 chemistry class at the Berrien County Math Science Center on the campus of Andrews University. It has now evolved beyond the classroom into an autonomous global public engagement program. It features multidisciplinary experts and experienced environmental professionals from the private sector, academia, government, nongovernmental organizations. Guest presenters come from across the United States and the Caribbean, as well as other countries. We livestream about 30 episodes each academic year, September to May, all on Fridays. Each episode consists of two parts - 45 minutes for our guest speakers followed by audience participation in a question and answer (Q&A) session. To ensure availability and free accessibility to Environmental Fridays we upload all episodes to YouTube.