By Alison Gold
A global policy researcher, an urban ecologist, and a former White House advisor walk into a room. The conversation may start on the topic of financing sustainable development in Brazil, then bounce to the best modeling tools for assessing urban heat islands, before turning to tropical forest conservation efforts. The speakers identify points of connection between their areas of expertise, ideas for enhancing each other’s projects, and suggestions for future research. This is convergence.
Convergence, or convergent research, is an approach that goes beyond standard interdisciplinary collaboration. When conducting convergent research, experts from disparate fields may blend their techniques, knowledge, and practices to unlock entirely new disciplines and solutions.
Boston University’s Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) is launching a new event series titled Convergent Conversations to convene experts from different fields and spark connections through meaningful dialogue about global sustainability.
Each event will feature presentations by BU faculty members from several disciplines, plus a participant from an external organization to help attendees understand how their work can translate beyond academia. The first event, scheduled for March 19, is open to anyone from BU or the broader public.
IGS will host two of these events during the spring 2026 semester:
- “Scaling Nature-Based Solutions for Economic Development” will kick off the series on March 19. Speakers include:
- Kevin Gallagher (Professor, Global Development Policy, Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies; Director, Global Development Policy Center; IGS Affiliated Faculty);
- Lucy Hutyra (Distinguished Professor and Chair, Earth & Environment, College of Arts & Sciences; IGS Core Faculty); and
- Frances Seymour (Senior Policy Advisor, Woodwell Climate Research Center).
- This conversation will be moderated by Pamela Templer (Distinguished Professor and Chair, Biology, College of Arts & Sciences; IGS Core Faculty).
- Stay tuned for details on our April event about artificial intelligence.
“The climate crisis requires interdisciplinary solutions. The IGS Convergent Conversations series is inspired by convergence and collaboration, BU’s superpower,” said Rebecca Pearl-Martinez, executive director at IGS. “We’ll explore innovative connections across disciplines and test out new policy-relevant research directions with the help of leading climate and environmental practitioners.”
The new offering builds upon BU’s growing strength in convergence. In her recent Presidential Address, BU President Melissa Gilliam laid out a vision for the University’s future, with convergence as the guiding “North Star.” Gilliam announced global sustainability as one of eight priority areas for convergent research at BU.
“We’ll explore innovative connections across disciplines and test out new policy-relevant research directions with the help of leading climate and environmental practitioners.”
– Rebecca Pearl-Martinez
“Boston University will be the global destination of discovery, education, and human connection—an epicenter where disciplines, communities, and realities merge and visionary thinkers unite to create transformative experiences and solutions for the world’s greatest challenges,” Gilliam said in her address.
IGS convenes nearly 120 faculty from across the University, including environmental scientists, sociologists, engineers, artists, and more. Several of the Institute’s projects exemplify convergence. For instance, through the Clean Energy and Environment Legacy Transition Initiative, three of the Institute’s Associate Directors — a battery engineer, a social scientist, and a public health scholar — work together to advance an equitable energy transition in Massachusetts, empower communities with data, and train the next generation of climate leaders.
“The importance of convergence is particularly striking when it comes to a topic like global sustainability,” said IGS Director Benjamin Sovacool. “Climate change affects our communities, our homes, and our health, while exacerbating existing inequalities and vulnerabilities. At IGS we are actively creating spaces for the exchange of ideas across a variety of sustainability topics.”
Sovacool is a member of the University’s Task Force on Convergent Research and Education, along with IGS affiliates Kevin Gallagher (Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies), Lucy Hutyra (College of Arts & Sciences), Jonathan Levy (School of Public Health), Deborah Carr (College of Arts & Sciences), and Kenneth Lutchen (Vice President and Associate Provost for Research), who helmed the group.
RSVP Now
All Convergent Conversations will be hosted at IGS’s office at 111 Cummington Mall, Suite 149, in Boston, MA. Please RSVP on Eventbrite.
This event was co-organized with BU’s Global Development Policy Center, BU’s Department of Earth & Environment, and BU’s Department of Biology.
