Letter from Co-Chairs

As our population continues to shift from rural to urban living, our landscape is transforming before us. Slums become the norm in large cities, and paradise is continually paved in order to provide the comforts of city living. The effects of urbanization are tremendous, from transportation congestion to altered weather patterns and, most notably, a disconnect between people and nature. However, urbanization has the potential to provide opportunities and benefits unrealized in rural communities. We invite you to join the Ecological Sciences & Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program for this year’s symposium, Urban Rise: Footprints of a Global Civilization, on October 16-17, 2012, at Purdue University’s Discovery Park.

We will explore many facets of urbanization from resource consumption, rural depopulation, policy platforms, social constructs, environmental impacts and more. It is imperative that we as a species understand our role within urbanization and face the consequences, both good and bad, of our actions. Our event is open to everyone, please join us. And don’t forget to tell your friends.

Lauren H. Logan & Nathan Shoaf

ESE Symposium 2012 Co-Chairs