Environmental challenges come in all shapes and sizes. Some seem far away and intangible while others touch us in our homes, on our farmland, in the air we breathe, and in the water we drink. Leading experts in climate science and environmental research will join WorldCanvass host Joan Kjaer on April 25 to discuss the most pressing concerns facing Iowans and international efforts to mitigate potentially disastrous effects of climate change and the resulting disruption to populations worldwide. You’re invited to attend the live discussion at MERGE, 136 South Dubuque Street, from 5:30-7 p.m. on April 25. The program is free and open to the public with a pre-show catered reception from 5-5:30 p.m.

A few weeks ago, my eyes and my heart were opened to the extraordinary people and culture of Cuba. At unexpected moments at home in Iowa, I once again see Havana’s brilliant blue sea and sky, hear the music and conversation in the streets, smile at the flashing memory of an unforgettable meal, and recall the lipstick-colored almendrones (old American cars) whizzing by. As a sensual experience, for me, Havana’s beauty, charm, and historical character are rivaled only by Rome.

We are now living in the “Anthropocene” (pronounced AN-thruh-puh-seen), the literal definition of which is the “New Age (cene) of Humans (anthropos).” For many people, the notion that we are living in the age of humans might be unremarkably self-evident. But the concept of the Anthropocene challenges us to consider how humans have become the dominant agent of change on Earth. The upcoming Obermann Humanities Symposium at the University of Iowa, March 5-7, “Energy Cultures in the Age of the Anthropocene,” will showcase innovative thinking about how to conceptualize and deal with the large-scale human alterations of environments and ecosystems that have given a new name to the age in which we live.

The March 3 WorldCanvass program will be part of a three-day interdisciplinary Obermann Center symposium on the Anthropocene which will examine how humans have shaped our present energy culture and what other energy cultures are possible. Four keynote speakers will tackle this question from very different angles.

University of Iowa students are participating in more summer and winter study-abroad programs in order to participate in more than just class. In the 2012-13 school year, 62 percent of UI students participated in study, work, internships, or volunteering during summer or winter sessions — as opposed to 55 percent just three years ago.

As a first-generation American coming from an Indian heritage, Aditya Chahande travels to central India about every two years. He had yet to see the northern region of the desert state, Rajasthan, however, until this winter break when he traveled with other students from the University of Iowa to fulfill a research project.

Allison Kindig is a senior from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, studying industrial engineering, global health studies and business administration at the University of Iowa. Two years ago, she was the recipient of a Stanley scholarship to travel to Cameroon. Since then, she addressed economical solar energy as a UI College of Engineering Grand Challenge Scholar. This fall, Kindig was named the 2014 Iowa Homecoming Queen. Read on to learn more about Allison's journey throughout her college experience.