UNAM Chicago

Dr. William Lee Alardín, UNAM´s Vice-Provost for International Affairs represented the Rector of our University in the first session of the Discovery Partners Institute Research Council, focusing on climate change and the environment. DPI is part of the University of Illinois System (SUI) and brings together some of the leading higher education institutions it collaborates with, including UNAM, as well as national laboratories and the private sector, with the aim of developing technological innovation and research projects for development.

The session was particularly important as it took place in the context of the preparations for the 2025 Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress (SRI 2025), which will be held from June 16th to the 19th of next year in Chicago, with SUI as the host. This is the first time the Congress will be held in the U.S.

The event was inaugurated by SUI President Timothy Killeen, who led a panel consisting of presidents of Illinois universities, including those within the system (University of Illinois, Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and University of Illinois at Springfield). The panel also included the Illinois Institute of Technology and other international universities such as Cardiff, the National University of Singapore, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The Cook County Commissioner was also present at the inauguration.

The panelists discussed some of the steps being taken by governments at various levels (local, state, and national) to promote the use of technologies that mitigate the impacts of climate change and how they are investing in the development and innovation carried out by universities to promote solutions in climate change and sustainability.

There was consensus that environmental challenges will be better addressed with the help of society in seeking solutions, and that universities play a significant role as integral parts of the communities they inhabit. The panelists also agreed that collaboration between institutions would lead to faster progress in education and expose students to multiple global perspectives, particularly on the environment and sustainability.

The panelists emphasized the growing need for universities to influence global dialogue and shift the narrative to focus on more equitable global contributions. They outlined some ideas on how academic institutions and the private and public sectors can work together to protect the environment while ensuring that the concerns of traditionally underserved communities are equitably included. Trust and reciprocity between the three actors were highlighted as key factors.

In this regard, William Lee agreed with President Killeen on the need to act with a commitment to social ethics and contribute to closing inequality gaps. He also invited council members to define major issues from diverse perspectives to help address local, regional, and global problems.