The RENEW Institute - A Multidisciplinary Initiative
Catalyzing Conversations:
Description and nomination procedure
“Catalyzing Conversations” is RENEW’s Distinguished Speaker series that aims to promote new, cross-disciplinary research collaborations (between UB scientists and the speakers themselves, or among UB-based colleagues) about energy, environment, and water, and their socio-economic impacts.
To ensure that the series is responsive to the research interests of our community, RENEW Core faculty and Faculty Affiliates are invited to nominate speakers for this series, with the prior approval of the nominator’s department chair. Ideal nominees are those who are well recognized for their exemplary achievements in RENEW-related areas, and whose talk will foster a sense of shared learning and interactive atmosphere. The series is a collaborative effort between RENEW and the nominating faculty’s department, with the following breakdown of tasks and responsibilities.
Nominating faculty and departmental host
Submit chair-endorsed speaker nominations to RENEW. Once approved by RENEW:
- Contact speaker with invitation; convey speaker’s dates of availability to RENEW
- Encourage departmental signups for the speaker’s itinerary at UB, reserving time for RENEW team members and graduate students to meet with speaker
- Spur departmental faculty to RSVP to the lecture event
- Cover the cost of the speaker’s meals while in Buffalo
RENEW
- Curate the series schedule based on speaker nominations from RENEW Core Faculty and RENEW Faculty Affiliates and their departments and schools
- Liaise with guest speakers after nominating faculty have made an introduction
- Attend to the speaker’s travel arrangements, including air and hotel bookings
- Reimburse up to $2000 for the speaker’s air and hotel
- Identify a venue for the event and reception
- Order and pay for reception food, beverages, and service (up to $1500)
- Develop publicity for the Catalyzing Conversation event
- Utilize RENEW’s listserv to advertise each Catalyzing Conversation event
- Handle lecture’s registration process