The New York Tech community came together for informational, celebrational, and sustainable in-person and virtual events featuring industry icons and experts during New York Tech’s extended celebration of Earth Week. In addition, a bike share program was re-introduced on the Long Island campus, while New York City students were reminded of the free CitiBike passes available to them.

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Tuesday, April 19

Conservation, Ecology, and New York Tech's new BRIC Building
Jeanne Gang, Studio Gang
3:30 – 5 p.m., Zoom

Jeanne Gang, MacArthur Fellow and Architect for the Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History, spoke to virtual attendees about her design for the new Biomedical Research and Innovation Center (BRIC) at New York Tech and discussed her commitment to sustainability and the ecology in the work of her firm, Studio Gang. The BRIC project includes the full-scale renovation of a 20,000-square-foot building on the Long campus that will house new microscopy labs and equipment and support research collaboration, innovation, teaching, and convening spaces.

Wednesday, April 20

Sustainable Light
Tord Wingren, CEO of BrainLit (and Bluetooth founder)
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., Zoom

Tord Wingren, CEO of BrainLit and co-creator of Bluetooth, shared an inspiring presentation of his work in the technology field and how technology overlaps with wellness, health, creativity, and collaboration.

Watch a video from this event

Architecting Community
Alessandro Melis, IDC Foundation Endowed Chair, NYIT School of Architecture and Design
6 – 8 p.m., Zoom

Alessandro Melis led a conversation among practicing architects and adjunct faculty on the values of collaboration in constructing "community"—including the advantages of instilling sustainability, equity, and livability into a locale to create better, more cohesive places to live.

Thursday, April 21

Earth Day DIY
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., 26 W. 61st St., NYC

Students were invited to create, plant, and decorate a potted plant.

Museum of Contemporary Art and Planning Exhibition: MOCAPE
Wolf dPrix, Coop Himmelb(l)au CEO
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., live broadcast

The School of Architecture and Design welcomed Wolf dPrix, co-founder, CEO, and design principal of Vienna-based Coop Himmelb(lau), who discussed the firm's project at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Planning Exhibition, MOCAPE, completed in 2016 in Shenzhen, China. His presentation was followed by a student-led interview.

Earth Week Food Fair & Solar Demo
12:30 – 2 p.m., SAC Field, LI

The NYITCOM Sustainability Committee and New York Tech Dining Services held an Earth Week Food Fair with free food served with biodegradable plates and utensils. Students found out about sustainable foods and sustainable actions they could take, including information about solar energy, courtesy of EmPower Solar.

Friday, April 22 (Earth Day)

Sustainability in TV and Films
Antonio Saillant (B.S. '90), Film Producer and Sustainability Expert
12:30 – 2 p.m., Anna Rubin Hall, LI

Sustainable Film Producer Antonio Saillant (B.S. '90) participated in New York Institute of Technology's Earth Week festivities by giving an important presentation on sustainable initiatives in film, television, and on Broadway, covering practices from energy to waste and beyond. Sponsored by the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences.

Open Gallery Night
Woodlands Art Exhibit
5 – 7 p.m., 1855 Broadway, NYC

The general public was invited to view the Woodlands Art Collection's inaugural exhibit featuring the sculpture of Emilie Brzezinski. Sharing themes from Brzezinski's life, "Art, Health and Wellness: The Power of Creativity and Nature" includes three original sculptures: Cherry Bench II, a formidable bench hewn from a single cherry trunk, and Girl and Boy, two pieces from Brzezinski's Water Garden Collection. Featuring images of the artist in action and many of her other works, the exhibit also explores the critical connections between art and nature, healing, family, resilience, learning, and design.

Wednesday, April 27

Taking Care Decolonizing the Built Environment
TAMassociati and CODESIGNLAB
6 – 8 p.m., Zoom

The School of Architecture and Design presented the perspectives of leading design professionals from TAMassociati and CODESIGNLAB, who presented "Face and Back Sides" and "African Fabbers Atlas." They offered an engaging discussion on the role of indigenous and spontaneous architecture on sustainability in architectural design and how to respond to climatic changes reconciling nature with "tekné."

Thursday, April 28

Forest Therapy Walk
Linda Lombardo, Certified Forest Therapist
12:45 – 2:10 p.m., LI

Participants learned about the amazing species on the Long Island campus, while connecting with peers and reducing stress during a 1.5-mile walk.

Friday, April 29 (Arbor Day)

Volunteer with Central Park Conservancy, NYC
Students worked on special projects in Central Park.

Saturday, April 30

Geocaching Digital Scavenger Hunt
1 – 2:30 p.m., Eisenhower Park, LI

Participants were invited to celebrate Earth Day 2022 by embarking on a digital scavenger hunt using a geocaching app at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, N.Y.

Tuesday, May 3

Solar Energy, Battery Energy Storage and Microgrids
Ken McCauley, Partner and Co-Founder, 127 Energy
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., Zoom

In this College of Engineering and Computing Sciences Industry Leader Lecture Series, Ken McCauley joined Dean Babak Beheshti to discuss the energy industry, battery storage, renewable energy, and microgrid systems. While solar energy and other sources of renewable energy are critically important, the importance of energy storage and distribution technologies are also key to long-term viable solutions. In this talk, McCauley shared his knowledge and experience in this growing and challenging field.

Wednesday, May 4

The Modern Renaissance Studio: History Belongs to the Present
Progetto Arte Poli, Venice, Italy
12:30 – 1:30 p.m., ZOOM

Progetto Arte Poli is a studio inspired by the Renaissance workshops, where today as in the past, different techniques coexist and intertwine for the creation of unique works. The studio creates an array of artwork such as artistic stained glass windows, mosaic art, fresco paintings, sculpture, and wrought iron restoration. Via a captivating virtual presentation, participants learned how their masters of crafts develop ideas and choose materials. They witnessed the design process from the idea to choice of materials to installation, and the importance of history to sustainability.