The Millennium Cafe

Erik Foley and The School of Music, Penn State

February 26, 2019 @ 10:00 am to 11:00 am

3rd Floor Commons at the Millennium Science Complex
University Park

Bring Your Own Mug (BYOM) to the Café – reduce waste while enjoying great coffee!

“Re-Designing Molecules, Materials, and Markets for the Anthropocene” – Part I in the Cradle to Cradle: Designing for Sustainability series

Erik Foley | Director of Sustainability and Instructor in Management & Organization | Smeal College of Business

Humans are having an impact on our planet’s life-support systems - from the climate and oceans to land itself. The magnitude is such that scientists have claimed we are in a new geologic epoch—the Anthropocene—the age of the humans. This represents a pivotal time in both planetary and human history. In response, we must evolve our thinking and designing of industrial production-consumption systems. The most consequential shift is to what is being called the “circular economy”: biomimetic materials and processes that feed either technical or biological nutrient loops. These aren’t “zero waste” systems but rather perpetually value-adding “nutrient management systems.” This talk will introduce the audience to the “circular economy” and closed-loop systems with key insights from business research, explore a current business example/case study, and offer thoughts on opportunities to be addressed.

“Mike Mower’s Music: A Bridge of Classical Music and Jazz”

Graduate Flute Quartet | School of Music

Join us for a performance of Mike Mower’s Fictions, performed by the Penn State Graduate Flute Quartet. This program provides 3 short descriptive pieces, including a swirling whirlpool in canon-style, a slow harmonically sparse and arid movement, and a crowd of football fans cheering their team on to defeat and then collapsing into bed.

The Millennium Café is held every Tuesday @ 10:00 in the 3^rd floor Café Commons of the Millennium Science Complex. Stop by for freshly brewed science & coffee.