Dr. Sideris’s research focuses broadly on the ethical significance of natural processes, and the way in which “environmental” values are captured, or obscured, by narratives and perspectives from religion and the sciences. Her recent research examines the role of wonder in contemporary scientific discourse and its impact on how humans conceive of and relate to nature. She is especially interested in the mythic, religious, and ethical dimensions of the so-called Anthropocene and its attendant technologies, such as geoengineering and de-extinction. The overarching question that drives her research is how to articulate a vision of the human that is appropriate to the environmental challenges we collectively face. She is actively involved in a number of international research initiatives in the environmental humanities, and serves as President-Elect of the International Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture.  She is author of Environmental Ethics, Ecological Theology, and Natural Selection, and Consecrating Science: Wonder, Knowledge, and the Natural World, and co-editor of a collection of interdisciplinary essays on the life and work of environmental pioneer Rachel Carson, titled Rachel Carson: Legacy and Challenge.

The Cottrill-Rolfes Endowment in Catholic Studies will be hosting Dr. Quentin Wodon, Lead Economist In Education Global Practice for the World Bank, for a lecture next week on Tuesday, March 8, at 4:00 pm.: "The Global Role of the Catholic Church in Education, Healthcare, and Social Protection: Challenges and Opportunities"

Dr. Quentin Wodon is a Lead Economist in the Education Global Practice at the World Bank. A lifelong learner, he holds four PhDs. As part of his volunteer work for the Global Catholic Education project, he conducts research on Catholic and faith-based engagement around the world in education, health, and social protection, with two main aims: making the work of the Catholic Church better known in the international community, and bringing to the Catholic Church the expertise emerging from international experience. In this lecture, he will share an assessment of the role of Catholic and other faith-based organizations in the social sectors, including whether they succeed in serving the poor and providing quality services, particularly in Africa.

Join historian Karen Petrone and Russian scholar Jeanmarie Rouhier-Willoughby, along with Gregory Hall, professor in the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce, in conversation with Interim Dean Christian Brady as they discuss the ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia and the historical, cultural, and political motivations for the conflict.

Registration is limited, RSVP here.