Higher Education Learning Community
To join the Higher Education Learning Community, please get in touch with one of the Co-Leads or visit our LinkedIn group.
Higher Education Learning Community (HELC) is an RCE Greater Atlanta action group that aims to facilitate faculty and research-active student engagement with the SDGs in a collective learning environment. Participants include faculty and research-active students from Emory University, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and the University of Georgia.
HELC aims to create a dynamic network of research and teaching faculty, practitioners, youth, and community partners in Greater Atlanta who work together to offer research seminars, symposia, curricular resources, teaching workshops, and a variety of publications to advance the SDGs in education, research, and service across campuses in the region as well as among the US (North American) higher education community as a whole. We welcome participation by students in our efforts, particularly the Speaker Series, Data Blitz, Equinox Symposium, and Atlanta Global Studies Center RCE and Youth Track. We love having youth tracks within the symposia, if students want to present on their work and maybe also help organize the track.
Sustainable Development Research Seminar
Research Roundabout (Data Blitz)
Leads:
- Bruce Stiftel (Georgia Tech), bruce.stiftel@gatech.edu
- Michael Black (Georgia State), seawater@gsu.edu
All presenters get 5 minutes and one slide to present an aspect of their work in a data blitz.
Leads:
- Michael Black (GSU), seawater@gsu.edu
Atlanta Global Studies Center Symposium
This annual Symposium will takes place in April and features a day-long track or panels presented by RCE HELC, including a youth panel.
Global Studies in Action session of the Atlanta Global Studies Symposium, taking place on April 9, 2026, from 12:00–5:00 PM at the Historic Academy of Medicine at Georgia Tech. The Global Studies in Action session (2:45–3:45 PM) highlights applied global research and Atlanta-based global initiatives that translate scholarship into practice. The session will focus on:
- Applied global research addressing real-world challenges
- Atlanta-based global initiatives and partnerships
- Translating scholarship into policy, practice, and community impact
In February 2020, United Nations University recognized this HELC project by an Award for Innovative Projects on Education for Sustainable Development, Honorable Mention for SDG 4 Quality Education.
For further information please visit the Symposium Webpage.
Leads:
- Ethan Trinh, ttrinh16@gsu.edu
- Malaika Serrano, mserrano40@gatech.edu
- Michael Black, seawater@gsu.edu
Annual EQUINOX: UN SDGs Symposium
As part of the Equinox Symposium for March 2026, we are hosting Jennifer Wilson, Sustainability Initiatives Directorof Georgia State University at Kennesaw State University (and online) on March 24 at 11:15am to talk about "Sustainable Dining with Raccoon Eyes AI."
In November 2021, United Nations University recognized this HELC project by an Award for "Acknowledged Flagship Project" on Education for Sustainable Development, SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals; Thematic Category: Curriculum Development.
Leads:
- Pegah Zamani, pzamani@kennesaw.edu
Georgia Community of Practice on Teaching with the UN SDGs
This RCE Greater Atlanta Community of Practice is a group of educators from multiple colleges and universities in Georgia. Members are either teaching with the SDGs themselves or working with faculty who do so, in their home institutions. The aim of this CoP is to support effective SDG teaching through resource sharing, peer-to-peer learning, and networking. The CoP was founded by educational developers and sustainability professionals from Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University and the University of Georgia and it has since expanded to include educators from other institutions including Georgia Southern, Mercer University, Georgia Gwinnett College, and Atlanta Metropolitan State College. We meet virtually twice during fall semester and twice during spring semester. Are you a college instructor interested in bringing the UN SDGs into your teaching?
Register here.
Member Institutions:
Going Global Workshop Materials
ESD Faculty Learning Community Resources
UNESCO and Other Resources on SDG Integration in Higher Education
SLS Teaching Toolkit: U.N. SDGs
Read about the "Going Global: A Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Curriculum Design Workshop", Feb 23, and access related resources here.
Read about the Faculty Learning Community Teaching with the SDGs here.
Leads:
- Rebecca Watts Hull, rwattshull@gatech.edu
- Tyra Byers, tyrab@uga.edu
- Carole Subiño Sullivan, csubino@gatech.edu
Sustainable Development Research Seminar Series
Spring 2023
Friday, January 19, 12pm-1:15pm | Rm 204 Convocation Hall | Emory University + online via Zoom
"Climate Justice and Our Children's Health"
Rebecca Philipsborn, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University School of Medicine and Rollins School of Public Health
Fall 2023
Friday, September 8 | 12-1:15pm ET - Swann 106, Georgia Institute of Technology and Zoom
"The New York Climate Exchange and Sustainable Sanitation: Global Collaboration and the Reinvented Toilet"
Dr Shannon Yee, Associate Professor at the G.W.W. School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
RSVP here.
Friday, October 13 | 12-1:15pm ET - SCMPD House, Room 117, Kennesaw State University
"Sustaining Hope: Building Collaborative Resilience in Post-Conflict Societies"
Dr Volker Franke, Professor of Conflict Management in the School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding and Development at Kennesaw State University
Fall 2021
Friday, October 29 | 12-1:15 PM ET
"Taboo to Civic Actions: Engaging Taiwanese Youth in Environmental Controversial Issues Discussions"
Yun-Wen Chen, Assistant Professor of Curriculum & Instruction, Texas State University
Watch recording
Passcode: 7?VzrSn4
Friday, November 12 | 12-1:15 PM ET
"Rhizomatic Resistance: Environmental and Trans-Species Ethics in Feminist and LGBTQ Activism and Art"
Lauran Whitworth, Assistant Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Agnes Scott College
Watch recording
Passcode: 7V27=hC^
Friday, December 3 | 12-1:15 PM ET
“Sea Level Change in the Southeastern United States: Past, Present and Future”
Clark Alexander, Director and Professor, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, University of Georgia
Watch recording
Passcode: *P+2QU..
Spring 2021
Friday, January 22 | 12:00 Noon - 1:15 pm
Migration following Hurricane Michael: Evidence from the Consumer Credit Panel
Elora Raymond, Assistant Professor of City and Regional Planning, Georgia Tech
Seminar recording
Friday, February 26 | 12:00 Noon - 1:15 pm
Alexander von Humboldt’s Proto-Ecological Thinking
Caroline Schaumann, Professor of German Studies, Emory University
To request access to the seminar recording, please contact Dr. Schaumann at cshaum@emory.edu.
Friday, March 19 | 12:00 Noon - 1:15 pm
Sustainable Construction Neighborhood: The way forward
Ali Keyvanfar, Assistant Professor of Construction Management, Kennesaw State University
Seminar recording
*Presented in conjunction with the 4th Annual EQUINOX Week at KSU: UN SDGs (March 15-19, 2021)
Fall 2020
Friday, November 20 | 12:00 Noon - 1:15 pm
The Politics of GM Crops and Agrochemical Exposure in Argentina
Pablo Lapegna, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology & Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute, University of Georgia
Seminar recording
Friday, October 23 | 12:00 Noon - 1:15 pm
Taking Science to the Streets: Community Science and Participatory Approaches to Improve Environment, Health, and Quality of Life in Urban Areas
Na'Taki Osborne Jelks, Assistant Professor, Environmental and Health Sciences, Spelman College
Seminar recording
Friday, September 25 | 12:00 Noon - 1:15 pm
A Social-Ecological-Technological Systems (SETS) approach to advancing urban systems science
David M. Iwaniec, Assistant Professor, Urban Studies Institute, Georgia State University
Spring 2020
Friday, January 31 | 12:00 Noon - 1:30 pm
Theories for Sustainable Futures
Lance Gunderson, Professor and Chair, Environmental Sciences, Emory University
Atwood Center, Rm 360, 1515 Dickey Drive, Emory University
Contact Us
RCE HELC Co-Leads:
Michael Black (Neuroscience Institute and Urban Studies Institute, GSU), seawater@gsu.edu (He / Him)
Aubrey Dyer (Georgia Gwinnett College), Adyer3@ggc.edu
Social Media