The Faculty of Arts & Humanities is honoured to host Britt for the 2024 Robert and Patricia Duncanson Lecture, held on February 29, 2024. This hybrid event can be attended in person at Conron Hall or online via Zoom.

In “How to Cope with Climate Anxiety,” Britt demonstrates the emotional and existential effects of living in a warming world—and how we can get through them together. Although anxieties surrounding the climate crisis can cause us to burn out, give up, and question deeply personal decisions like whether to have children, working through these anxieties can unlock a deep capacity to care for and act on climate issues.

We need to look at the climate crisis as a whole—not just the political or technological issues, but the mental health consequences as well. These effects can be severe, even leading people affected by climate events to experience PTSD and a loss of identity. To combat this, Britt presents practical tips and strategies for healthily and productively dealing with our emotions, living with climate trauma, and strengthening our communities so we can combat climate change together.

Britt Wray has a PhD in Science Communication from the University of Copenhagen, and she is an advisor to the Good Energy Project for climate storytelling and the Climate Mental Health Network. She’s the Director of CIRCLE at Stanford Psychiatry, a research and action initiative focused on Community-minded Interventions for Resilience, Climate Leadership and Emotional wellbeing in the Stanford School of Medicine. Britt’s acclaimed book Generation Dread, about finding purpose during the climate crisis, was named a finalist for the 2022 Governor General’s Literary Awards.  She is the recipient of the 2023 Canadian Eco-Hero Award and top award winner of the National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, given by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Following Britt's lecture, a reception will be held in the rooms adjoining Conron Hall.

Program
4:30 p.m. – Guests arrive for in person lecture
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Lecture and live stream
6:00 – 7:00 p.m. – Reception

All registrants will receive the Zoom link; during the registration process you will be asked if you are attending in person (which includes the reception) or online. Should your plans to attend in person change due to illness or weather, the Zoom option will be available. Advance registration is appreciated by February 27, 2024. The lecture will begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Getting to Campus

Please allow sufficient time to navigate campus. The campus is well-served by numerous bus routes, bike parking, and well-maintained paths and sidewalks. Learn more about Sustainable Transportation - Parking & Visitor Services - Western University (uwo.ca). The South Valley Lot, Middlesex Lot and The Springett Lots become complimentary with their gates raised at 4:00pm. Paid parking is available at the Talbot Lot as well.

Please contact Western Alumni if you require information in an alternate format or have other accessibility needs.