Columbia Climate Scientist to Explore Faith and Environmentalism at MCLA

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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) welcomes Dr. Alexander de Sherbinin, Director and Senior Research Scientist at Columbia Climate School's Center for Integrated Earth System Information (CIESIN), as part of its Green Living Seminar Series on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 5:30 p.m.
 
Dr. de Sherbinin will present "How Religion Influences Our Relationship with the Environment," examining the complex connections between spiritual beliefs and environmental stewardship. The talk will explore how different faith traditions shape attitudes toward nature, conservation, and climate action.
 
According to a press release:
 
A geographer whose research focuses on climate-related mobility, climate vulnerability mapping, and population-environment interactions, Dr. de Sherbinin manages the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) and leads the UN Global Centre for Climate Mobility's Global Knowledge Hub. His work integrates geospatial data to address critical questions about human dimensions of climate change. He holds a PhD in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation from the University of Twente in the Netherlands and has served as an agricultural extension agent with the U.S. Peace Corps in Mauritania, West Africa.
 
All presentations take place Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in MCLA's Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121, and will be recorded as podcasts available at mcla.edu/greenliving.
 
This event is free and open to the public.
 
MCLA's Green Living Seminar Series brings environmental experts to campus throughout the academic year to engage students and community members in conversations about sustainability, climate change, and ecological responsibility.

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MCLA Selects Pennsylvania Educator as 13th President

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

 Diana Rogers-Adkinson

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The board of trustees on Thursday voted 8-2 to offer the 13th presidency of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts to a Pennsylvania higher education executive.

Diana L. Rogers-Adkinson is senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs and chief academic officer for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, providing system-level leadership for 10 universities serving approximately 80,000 students.
 
"I thought she was really able to articulate the value of a liberal arts education and our mission to both society and, you know, to our students in their lives," said Trustees Buffy Lord before presenting the motion to offer her the post. "I think that she'll be a fantastic advocate for MCLA within Berkshire County, but also in Boston. You know, my sense is that she's going to be able to fight for us if it needs to happen."
 
Rogers-Adkinson accepted the post by phone immediately after the vote, pending negotiations and approval by the Board of Higher Education. 
 
She was one of four finalists for the post out of 102 completed applications. All four spent time on campus over the past month, speaking with students, faculty, trustees and community members. 
 
Trustees expounded on her experience, leadership and communication style. She was also one of two candidates, with preferred by the faculty, the college's unions and Higher Education Commissioner Noe Ortega.
 
The second candidate preferred, Michael J. Middleton, provost and vice president at Ramapo College of New Jersey, withdrew after consultation wiht his family, according to Lord. 
 
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