Special Event
In September 2024, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences hosted a conference at the Vatican on the theme of "Sciences for a Sustainable Anthropocene: Opportunities, Challenges, and Risks of Innovations." Invited scientists, scholars, and Church leaders delivered presentations and held discussions that considered the abundant scientific evidence for the human-caused alterations to Earth's natural systems in tandem with the Catholic Church's commitment to stewardship for God's creation as exemplified in Pope Francis's encyclical, Laudato Si' (2015). Among the participants were geologist Francine McCarthy, historian of science Jürgen Renn, and Cardinal Peter Turkson, the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Notre Dame is pleased to continue the conversation with these three major contributors to the Vatican conference at this Keeley Vatican Symposium hosted in partnership with the Nanovic Institute for European Studies.
History professors Julia Adeney Thomas and Brad Gregory will join and help lead this conversation at Notre Dame along with:
• Cardinal Peter Turkson, Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences;
• Francine McCarthy, Geologist at Brock University, Canada, whose work is the foundation for the proposed Anthropocene "golden spike";
• Jürgen Renn, Director of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena, Germany.
Clemens Sedmak, professor of social ethics and director of the Nanovic Institute, will serve as the event's host and moderator.
A brief reception will follow. All are invited to attend.
This is a free, not ticketed event.
Sponsored by the Nanovic Institute for European Studies
Event Dates
Thursday, April 24, 2025 - 3:30 PM
