Sense & Sustainability

An interview with Harvard Kennedy School's Rand Wentorth, from real estate finance to public policy

Decarbonising food production through effective legal and political strategies

Strategically targeting governments around the world to spread solar power

From every day physical phenomena to global atmospheric processes

A day in the life of a community organizer

Driving the renewable energy transition in some of the poorest communities in the U.S.

Building a career around solving wicked problems

Re-imagining products, materials and manufacturing to achieve zero waste

On bridging academia and activism for environmental justice

Protecting indigenous institutions of knowledge for environmental justice

How to build a career path based on passion

On activism, writing, and being an engaged citizen

Valuable advice on how to make a unique contribution to the world of sustainability

Research priorities and practical solutions for Harvard University and beyond

Perspectives on sustainable policies, planning and practice

Education, clean energy and social development in West Virginia

Fostering art at the intersection of nature and society

New England, the Harvard Forest, and conservation today

Public health, economics, and environmental protection

Increasing diversity within environmental organizations key to success

Urban planning, from mundane to emergency

The importance of sustainability to ending world hunger

A look at sustainability in the chocolate industry

Examining energy politics from the city level.

The Link Between Climate Change and Food Production

Jason Bordoff, Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia University and Director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia, shares his insights into how the climate-energy challenge might affect national security for the United States and the world.

Climate Change, driven by the Little Ice Age, produced a series of environmental catastrophes that together generated the worst famine in Korea’s history from 1670-1671.

Careers in Food Policy with Dr. Catherine Bertini Dr. Catherine Bertini, former Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme, explains how she navigated her personal career path, from participating in formative extracurricular activities, to running for Congress and learning when to say "no" to political appointments.  In this conversation with host Jisung Park, Catherine discusses her passion for public service through the lens of exploration. Video: About Catherine: Catherine Bertini’s leadership of the UN World Food Programme transformed WFP into the world’s largest and most responsive humanitarian organization. As WFP’s Executive Director, first proposed by President George H. W. Bush in 1992, and re-endorsed by President Bill Clinton in 1997, Ms. Bertini led the efforts to end famine in North Korea, avert starvation in Afghanistan, ensure food was delivered effectively during crises in Bosnia and Kosovo, prevent mass starvation in the Horn of Africa and focusing on women as the key to ending hunger. Because of her reforms, WFP was held as the model for UN efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability. Ms. Bertini was named the 2003 World Food Prize Laureate for her leadership at WFP in ending famine and decreasing hunger. Later, Ms. Bertini served as the Under Secretary General for Management and as UN Security Coordinator. Secretary General Kofi Annan also appointed her as his Humanitarian Envoy to the Horn of Africa, Gaza and the West Bank. Today, Ms. Bertini serves as a member of the Board of International Food and Agricultural Development, which advises USAID, having been appointed by President George W. Bush and reappointed by President Barrack Obama. Ms. Bertini also is a senior fellow at the Chicago Council of Global Affairs.  She serves as a board member of the Stuart Family Foundation, a juror of the Hilton Foundation Humanitarian Prize, and on the Board of Directors of the Tupperware Brands Corporation.  For two years, she was the Senior Fellow of Agricultural Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Previously, she served as the Assistant Secretary of Food and Consumer services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture where she drove nationwide implementation of electronic benefit transfer programs, created a food package for breastfeeding mothers, and oversaw the design of the Food Guide Pyramid. Ms. Bertini earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York at Albany and has been accorded with numerous awards, commendations, and honorary degrees.  She has taught at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs since 2005 as Professor of Public Administration and International Affairs. Images: International Human Rights Commission, United Nations World Food Programme, United States House of Representatives, University at Albany, Wikimedia Commons. Intro/Outro: Basspartout, "New Horizons," AudioJungle.

Ever wonder how donated food gets to famines? Listen as Dr. Catherine Bertini explains the World Food Programme.

Listen as one of the "most influential women in Washington" explains how to get what you want out of your career.

Listen as our host Jisung Park explores the role of the media in combating climate change with former chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin.

Listen as our host Jisung Park talks with Bina Venkataraman about getting into a career in climate policy.

Is there reason for optimism following the landmark bilateral agreement with China?

Why is healthcare in the US so expensive?

Learn about the basics of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa from Dr. Amol Verma and Dr. Reena Pattani.

Thinking about going into a career in medicine? Dr. El-Sayed has a unique perspective on the field as both an MD and a PhD in epidemiology.

What’s the current state of the US healthcare system? How might it be improved? This policy-oriented podcast segment provides a 20,000 foot overview of the main challenges facing the US healthcare system.

Interested in working in sustainable development? In the second half of their interview, Jisung and John Briscoe discuss careers in the field.

Is there such a thing as a "global water policy"? Or is water primarily a local issue? Jisung Park sits down with noted water expert John Briscoe to discuss these and many other issues.

Why is it that astronauts, upon witnessing the earth from outer space, become systematically inclined to care deeply for the environment and man's place within it? Frank White and Jisung discuss how the Overview Effect can make a world of difference.

What role does education play in determining the relative wealth of nations? An incredibly vital one, according to Professor Eric Hanushek of Stanford University.

Dr. Alex Wang, Sachin Desai, and Jisung Park discuss prospects for balancing environmental protection and economic growth in China.

Dr. Wen and Jisung discuss concrete steps that both patients and doctors can take to bring back the lost art of correct diagnosis.

What is faith-based environmentalism, and how might it transform the sterile political divides of American climate politics?

Is Development Aid effective? Or does it merely line the pockets of corrupt bureaucrats? World Bank Africa's Chief Economist Shanta Devarajan offers his insights.

Paul Herman, Founder and CEO of HIP Investor Inc., on what it means to be an HIP investor — one whose portfolio achieves both human impact and profit.

Knut Haanaes, Global Head of Boston Consulting Group's Sustainability Practice, on the business side of the sustainability coin.

Kristen Sullivan of Deloitte’s Global Sustainability & Climate Change services group talks about “impact investing."

New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner Nick Kristof talks about women's rights, girls' education and sustainable development.

Jeffrey Sachs discusses his new book, The Price of Civilization, and the origins of America's current economic and political woes.

Professor Lazarus of Harvard Law School suggests some structural and cultural reasons that climate policy has proved so politically poisonous in America.