February 15, 2023
Global goals, local actions: Spring course to focus on the Sustainable Development Goals
The Population Health Initiative and the Office of Global Affairs are partnering to offer a one-credit General Studies course, “United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Global Goals, Local Actions (GEN ST 297A),” on Tuesdays from 1:30 to 2:20 p.m. during spring quarter 2023 in Gowen Hall 201.
This one-credit (graded as credit/no-credit) course will introduce undergraduate students to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, research at the University of Washington that aligns with those goals and the role the goals play in improving local and global population health, societies and the environment. Yen-Chu Weng of the UW’s Program on the Environment is the lead facilitator of this course.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are “an urgent call for action by all countries in a global partnership that provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet through strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests” (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs).
Adopted by the UN member states in 2015, the 17 SDGs encompass topics ranging from poverty, health and inequality to climate, land, water and global partnerships. Achieving the SDGs requires not only interdisciplinary collaboration, but also expertise from multiple sectors: higher education, businesses, civil society organizations and governments.
This seminar will invite experts and scholars from the UW and the Seattle region. Each lecture will include an overview of the selected SDGs, case studies based on speaker’s expertise and programs in the Seattle regions that are working towards realization of the SDGs.
| Date | Speaker | Topic | Unit |
| 3/28 | Yen-Chu Weng Arti Shah Jeffrey Riedinger |
Introduction and Overview | Program on the Environment Population Health Initiative Office of Global Affairs |
| 4/4 | Jennifer Otten | No Poverty (SDG 1) and Zero Hunger (SDG 2) | Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences |
| 4/11 | Ali Mokdad | Health and Well-Being (SDG 3) | Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, Population Health Initiative |
| 4/18 | Fred Pursell Anita Ramasastry |
Partnerships (SDG 17) Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) |
Foster School of Business School of Law & Office of Global Affairs |
| 4/25 | Shi Chen | Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12) | Foster School of Business |
| 5/2 | Patrick Cassleman | Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9) | Intel Sustainability Center of Excellence |
| 5/9 | Heidi Gough | Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6) | School of Environmental and Forest Sciences |
| 5/16 | Ed Kolodziej | Life Below Water (SDG 14) | Civil & Environmental Engineering |
| 5/23 | Kristi Straus | Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10) & Climate Action (SDG 13) | Program on the Environment |
| 5/30 | Danya Al-Saleh | Quality Education (SDG 4) and Climate Action (SDG 13) | Jackson School of International Studies |
Course registration opened February 10, 2023.