Skellig Workshops on Sustainability and Climate Change in Ireland
Workshop Objectives:
To create, in Ireland, the “Skellig Fellows Workshop on Sustainability” for a group of 15-25 diverse and highly talented PhD students and post-doctoral fellows. The goal of this workshop program will be to enable groups of young international scholars to exchange their knowledge, ideas and enthusiasm to develop new options to make our world more sustainable.
A essential element in these workshops will be the participation of experienced scholars of sustainability who are motivated to share their collected knowledge and experience with the young Skellig Fellows. As well as participating in the program, its senior and emeritus professors, and other senior professionals experienced in the area of sustainability, will help to the Foundation to identify and nominate the young scholars for this program.
The PhD students and post-doctoral researchers selected will have both exceptional new ideas on sustainability, and the potential to realise them. Primarily, the fellows, with the small team of senior scientists, engineers, business people, and artists, will address “Creating a Sustainable Planet”, a subject of vital importance for young people and subsequent generations (including climate change mitigation and adaptation issues). To stimulate lateral thinking ….the workshop will also include some discussions regarding how literature and the arts could help stimulate the bold, brave, and creative thinking skills that are needed to create a more sustainable global society.
We anticipate that these unique Skellig “Gatherings” of highly motivated and multi-talented young fellows will be held biannually in an Irish University setting for 2-3 weeks. The program will maximize information exchanges
between the young fellows by having each fellow ”teach” keys aspects of their area of expertise related to sustainability and introduce their ”big ideas” to the group. The fellows will also self-organize to develop group discussions on some ”big ideas” presented, and on other topics of mutual interest, and some lectures by invited speakers.
Estimated Endowment needed for this Biannual Program (for 10 years) is between €500,000 – 750,000 (depending on workshop length and student numbers).
Foundations, Corporations, and individuals interested in funding this workshop, in full, or in part, should contact the Skellig Foundation at mailto:skellig.info@gmail.comfor more detailed information.
NOTE:
A number of academics and writers have already agreed to contribute to this program for several days at no cost beyond covering their lodging and food expenses while they are in Ireland.
