The video recording of the panel discussion is available to UT Austin affiliates.
UT Staff Council's Sustainability Committee and the Office of Sustainability partner to host this annual lunch event for staff. The event will feature a plant-forward, create-your-own burrito bowl lunch! Please RSVP to join us—whether in-person or virtually (note: deadline for registering for lunch is Friday, April 22, 2022). This year’s event topic is Sustainability and the Future of Work.
The pandemic has shown us where remote and hybrid work arrangements are (and are not) possible. As the world begins to define what the post COVID “new normal” looks like, this is the time for inquiry and action that will lead to a more sustainable future for workers. How is the future of work related to transportation, internet access, power and energy, climate change, wellness, public policy, university policy, or social justice? We’ll hear from experts who are doing research and innovation to help define the future of work, and discuss the environmental, economic, and equity implications of different possibilities.
We’ll be joined by faculty experts Dr. Dawna Ballard, Dr. Katherine Lieberknecht, and Steven Pedigo. The conversation and interactive Q&A with attendees will be moderated by Director of Sustainability Jim Walker.
- Dr. Dawna Ballard is an Associate Professor in the Moody College of Communications. She is an expert in chronemics – the study of time as it is bound to human communication. Recently, Dr. Ballard has studied the problems with “work-life balance” discourse and managing the challenges of information overload and 24/7 multitasking cultures.
- Dr. Katherine Lieberknecht is an Assistant Professor in the School of Architecture where she researches urban water resources planning, metropolitan-scaled green infrastructure planning, and urban climate planning.
- Steven Pedigo is a Professor of Practice and Director of the LBJ Urban Lab in the LBJ School of Public Affairs. He is an expert in urban economic development, regional cooperation, and placemaking.
In addition, the Sustainability Committee has partnered with HealthPoint to provide free plants to attendees (while supplies last). Access the plant care guide created by Lisa Lennon, Landscape Architect, Landscape Services, UT Austin.