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May 31, 2024

Celebrating the Challenge: The ESI at 10 Years

ESI director John E. Fernández reflects upon the 10 year anniversary of the ESI.

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September 15, 2023

Letter from the Director: “Climate Change an...

ESI faculty director John Fernández reflects on his trip to Ecuador for the Concordia Amazonias Summit.

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October 7, 2022

Letter from the Director: “A note on free an...

ESI faculty director John Fernández addresses the ongoing effort at MIT to adopt a set of principles of free expression.

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March 23, 2022

Letter from the Director: “Delay is the new deni...

On February 24, ESI Director John E. Fernández participated in the first White House-level convening on the topic of “climate delayism” as part of a group consisting of climate experts and scholars of climate denial and misinformation.

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January 8, 2021

Letter from the Director: “Trump’s Legacy ...

It is critically important not to mince words about what has been happening these past four years.

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November 8, 2020

Letter from the Director: “Post-election: ge...

As we look to the next few months and years, the passing of 2020 marks the beginning of the need for rapid annual and decadal global greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

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September 24, 2020

Letter from the Director: “Vote as if ______...

ESI Director John E. Fernández on the 2020 election, the climate crisis, justice and democracy.

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June 12, 2020

Letter from the Director: “Welcome to an Ext...

ESI Director John E. Fernández welcomes MLK Visiting Scholar Luis G. Murillo-Urrutia and introduces ESI’s Principles of Conduct and Engagement.

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April 17, 2020

Letter from the Director: “The Exquisite Sci...

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, ESI Director John Fernandez addresses public trust in science and how deep and active engagement with scientific knowledge can save us from our intertwined crises.

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September 16, 2019

Letter from the Director: September 2019

John Fernández ushers in the new academic year by urging a stronger focus on climate change and the value of a deliberate education in ethics – for students and the Institute alike.

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September 13, 2018

Letter from the Director: September 2018

John Fernández welcomes the new class of MIT undergraduates and provides updates on ESI’s seed grants program and Environment & Sustainability Minor.

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June 1, 2018

Letter from the Director: June 2018

John Fernández addresses a period of transition for ESI, with new hires and new program areas.

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April 16, 2018

Letter from the Director: April 2018

John Fernández introduces four new program areas for concerted ESI research efforts.

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February 1, 2018

Letter from the Director: February 2018

John Fernández shares the long view of ESI’s international partnerships.

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December 1, 2017

Letter from the Director: December 2017

A brief note from John Fernández with more news to come.

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November 9, 2017

Letter from the Director: November 2017

John Fernández reports from the annual UN Conference of the Parties on climate change in Bonn, Germany.

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September 1, 2017

Letter from the Director: September 2017

John Fernández previews ESI’s headline People & the Planet lectures for the new academic year.

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April 1, 2017

Letter from the Director: April 2017

John Fernández celebrates three years of accomplishments at ESI and notes how much work is still to come.

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March 18, 2017

Letter from the Director: March 2017

John Fernández proudly introduces MIT’s new Minor in Environment & Sustainability.

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February 1, 2017

Letter from the Director: February 2017

John Fernández confronts an era of change for environmental action in the U.S.

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May 16, 2016

Letter from the Director: May 2016

John Fernández spells out the mission of the Environmental Solutions Initiative.