The Annual EQUINOX Program: UN SDGs

About EQUINOX

Established in March 2017 as a platform to advocate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the annual EQUINOX*: UN SDGs is dedicated to socio-economic-ecological impacts of sustainability within the local-global framework. The initiative seeks to advance pathways of scholarship and partnership through multidisciplinary and inter-institutional programs focused on the interconnected Sustainable Development Goals. Through various disciplinary lenses, the EQUINOX unfolds cross-sectoral dialogue among higher education institutions, professionals, policymakers, stakeholders, community members, and advocates.

A multi-sponsored platform with local/national/international presenters and participants, the initiative was marked as one of the first symposiums in the region dedicated to the SDGs. Every year, EQUINOX initiates a diverse set of multidisciplinary programs to promote research cross-pollination, team formation, and actions on SDGs from micro to macro scales – for people and the planet.

*The Spring EQUINOX marks the precise moment of astronomical spring in the Northern Hemisphere and astronomical autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. The Spring EQUINOX has been an ancestral festivity marking the New Year of several nations around the world. The first Earth Day celebration was also held on the Spring EQUINOX, March 21st, 1970 (proposed as a global initiative by peace activist John McConnell at the National UNESCO Conference in 1969). The Equinoctial Earth Day has been celebrated by the United Nations annually thereafter with the ringing of the UN Peace Bell to call for world justice and peace.

Sustainable Development Goals
 

Annual EQUINOX Schedule: UN SDGs

The multi-sponsored annual EQUINOX Week is a full week of multidisciplinary events across the KSU both campuses focused on the Sustainable Development Goals -- involving student volunteering programs, educational research sessions, and networking opportunities. Promoting strategic and shared goals, the EQUINOX Week seeks to advance multidisciplinary research and collaboration among the KSU colleges and community through various programs, including the annual EQUINOX Symposium: UN SDGs; EQUINOX_Exhibit; Sustainable Development Awards; EQUINOX FORUM: Sustainability through Multiple Lenses; and Sustainable Development Career Pathways.

We look forward to you joining us.

6th Annual EQUINOX Symposium

The annual EQUINOX Symposium is focused on the interconnected Sustainable Development Goals to catalyze interdisciplinary partnership and scholarship on sustainability with international, regional, and local speakers, and attendees. A multi-sponsored platform, the EQUINOX brings together institutions of higher education, professionals, policymakers, stakeholders, community members, and advocates. 

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (EST)

 

Platform: VIRTUAL Research Center for Sustainable Communities (RCSC), Office of Research, College of Architecture + Construction Management, Global Education, The Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art (ZMA), Kennesaw State University; HERCULES Exposome Research Center, Emory University; Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain (SLS), Georgia Institute of Technology; Higher Education Learning Community (HELC) Action Group, Community of Practice for Community-Academic Partnerships, Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development, Greater Atlanta, acknowledged by the United Nations University.

 

Registration: The event is open to all. The registration is free but is required to receive the symposium link.

  • RSVP by Feb 27th

Career Connections: Sustainability

Discover the different paths you can take within different fields. Join us to meet a variety of companies that involve work in diverse sustainability areas. Map out your interests and major in real-world industries andbegin charting your future career direction. All majors are encouraged to attend this interdisciplinary event.

Timeline: 

  • Welcome & Company Introductions (10 -15 Minutes)
  • Panel Questions (15 Minutes)
  • Networking (30 Minutes)

BUSA Students participating in this session may obtain credit for their course. Attendance will be recorded. (See the "Suitable" app for details).

Note: Individuals without Handshake access can contact us directly for obtaining the Zoom details.

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EST)

 

Platform: VIRTUAL The Department of Career Planning and Development

 

 

KSU Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) Approaches In Promoting Sustainable Manufacturing | Moderated Panel

The KSU Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) providesenergy and sustainability assessment for small-and medium-sized industrial facilitiesin order to help local industries become more energy efficient, smart, resilient, and sustainable. The findings of last year's assessments will be reviewed during this moderatedpanel.

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM (EST)

 

Platform: VIRTUAL KSU Industrial Assessment Center; Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology; Southface Institute

MS Team Link: 
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device 

  • Join the meeting 
    Meeting ID: 259 155 795 801 
    Passcode: qKUJwB
  • Join on the web
  • Call in (audio only) +1 470-648-2566, 83855116# United States, Atlanta
    • Phone Conference ID: 838 551 16# 

 

 

Peer Health Owls: Safe Spring Break

Join us to chat with the Peer Health OWLs and other campus partners for fun and games and information on how to stay safe this Spring Break.

Perks: Free Food

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM(EST) Campus Green

Health promotion and Wellness

wellbeing@ksu

 

 

CARE Services & MUST Ministries: Mobile FOOD Pantry

Stop by for a FREE POP-UP FOOD GIVE-AWAY with the MUST Ministries Mobile Food Pantry! Free packaged groceries and fresh produce will be available to KSU students, faculty, and staff. Please be sure to bring a backpack/cart/suitcase to help you transport 20lbs of items to your vehicle or home.

NOTE: Registration only needs to be done once to attend all mobile pantry events.

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM (EST) Campus Green (between Kennesaw Hall and the Siegel Recreation Center) Campus Awareness, Resource & Empowerment (CARE) Services, MUST Ministries Mobile Food Pantry

Spatio-Semantic Modeling of Socio-Economic and Health Disparities 

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION
10:30 - 11:00 am, followed by 15 min Q&A ARCH N 175, Marietta Campus, KSU

Armita Davarpanah. PhD.
Assistant Professor, Environmental & Health Sciences Program, Spelman College

Dr. Davarpanah presents her work on social and spatial proximity modeling of environmental justice and health in Proctor Creek, one of the most economically depressed and vulnerable watersheds in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. She also describes semantic modeling of environmental justice in an ontology related in the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

 

SDG Futures Fellowship EQUINOX Showcase

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION
Join us at 11:30 AM to hear brief presentations on each project and to give community feedback to the fellows to enhance their final deliverables. KSU Center, Kennesaw Campus
1000 Chastain Rd NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144
KSU Global Education, RCE Greater Atlanta, Georgia Tech’s Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain.

RCE Greater Atlanta's "SDG Futures Fellowship" aim is to increase education about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) through youth leadership, community engagement, and professional development. The 20+ fellows in this inaugural cohort represent a wide variety of backgrounds and come from 9 Greater Atlanta Higher Education Institutions. The fellows have worked closely with community organizations and partners to build projects focused on sustainable development and equity in the region and around the world.  Please join us on March 3rd at 11:30AM to hear brief presentations on each project and to give community feedback to the fellows to enhance their final deliverables.

 

 

KSU Mini Pavilion

A virtual tour of the installation/exhibition of the KSU Mini Pavilion will give an overview of the project and current updates of its development and mission.

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION
1:30 PM PIT Area, Architecture N Building M Campus, KSU The College of Architecture and Construction Management

 

 

3D Printing for Sustainability

In-person session. Learn to design and print your own object via 3D printing. No prior experience necessary. We will explore the technology through hands-on experience and talk about the implications for sustainability via waste reduction, timely production, and precise mass customization. You will learn about the potential of this revolutionary emerging technology.

TIME LOCATION SPONSORED BY MORE INFORMATION
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM (EST) Room 465, 4th Floor, the Burruss Building Modular Agile Deployment (MAD) Lab, Coles College of Business

Development Awards

In the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, higher education institutions are highlighted for playing a critical role in community transformations. Driven from the KSU R2 Roadmap goals, we seek to empower and stimulate student contributions to their campus/local community and the sharing of ideas for advancing the impact of Sustainable Development. The Fourth Annual EQUINOX call for proposals seeks action plans for campuses and communities to integrate Sustainable Development – as grounded in the following five pillars (5 Ps): people, prosperity, planet, partnership and peace. Students -- from all disciplines – are invited to participate and propose innovative initiatives towards implanting the 5 Ps and creating a sustainable and resilient campus/community. The student-led research projects are encouraged to focus on a specific issue from the team’s campus or their local community and offer solutions with a thoroughly integrated approach to overcome the challenge by 2030.

Sponsors and Partners

With the generous support of our sponsors and partners, the EQUINOX programs could have accomplished their shared goals thus far. Join us as sponsors and partners in reimagining/expanding our ever-evolving programs in an innovative and collaborative capacity. Please get in touch with us to learn about our partnership and sponsorship package. We look forward to welcoming you into our community.

Founding Chair: Pegah Zamani, Ph.D.  |  Email: pzamani@kennesaw.edu

  • Kennesaw State University is a student-centered, research-driven institution. With an emphasis on research with relevance, KSU's research portfolio is varied and far-reaching, leading to new knowledge and discoveries by faculty and hands-on opportunities for students. 

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  • Higher Education Learning Community (HELC) Action Group

    RCE of greater Altanta logo
    RCE Greater Atlanta was acknowledged by the United Nations University on December 18, 2017 as a Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development. RCEs support multistakeholder implementation of the U.N. Sustainable Development  Goals at the regional level through education and training. The designation makes Atlanta one of over 174 RCEs worldwide. RCE Greater Atlanta brings together universities and colleges from across the Greater Atlanta region with nonprofit, community, government, and business partners - and we are the only RCE in the U.S. with strong leadership and participation from HBCUs.

    Higher Education Learning Community (HELC) is an RCE Greater Atlanta action group including faculty and research-active students from Emory University, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Kennesaw State University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and the University of Georgia. HELC aims to create a dynamic network of research and teaching faculty, practitioners, youth, and community partners in Greater Atlanta who work together to offer research seminars, symposia, curricular resources, teaching workshops, and a variety of publications to advance the SDGs in education, research, and service across campuses in the region as well as among the US (North American) higher education community as a whole.

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  • The Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art (ZMA)

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    The multidisciplinary exhibition displays a diverse collection of work from research, and practice focused on sustainability. The wide variety of exhibits promote and present initiatives and efforts of students, educators, researchers, community members, and industry professionals. 

    The Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art [ZMA] serves as a vital academic resource and cultural focus for the university and members of the community. The ZMA displays significant works from the University’s permanent art collection and regularly exhibits contemporary works of various media by local and internationally-recognized artists. As an academic and artistic arena, the Zuckerman Museum of Art is pleased to partner with the KSU Division of Global Affairs during EQUINOX to facilitate engaging lectures and exhibitions as presented through the lens of artistic practice and visual culture. 

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  • KSU CARE Services [in partnership with Goodr, Inc.] 

    Kennesaw State University’s (KSU) Campus Awareness, Resource and Empowerment (CARE) Services, mission is to provide access to food, temporary housing, and other supportive services to foster students’ realization of a healthy, stable, and dignified life academically and professionally. Furthermore, to serve as a model of professional excellence and effectiveness by upholding core values of social justice, equity, economic sustainability, and mutual partnership. CARE provides four programs to support KSU students and the community: KSU CARES, Emergency Assistance, AmeriCorps VISTA Network and GEAR UP Georgia Priority Model.

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Contact Us

The Research Center for Sustainable Communities (RCSC)

College of Architecture and Construction

640 Polytechnic Lane
ARCH Building N - MD 9065
Marietta, GA 30060

Dr. Pegah Zamani
Email: pzamani@kennesaw.edu

Past Event Archive

  • Coming Soon.
  • Coming Soon.
  • EQUINOX Symposium: UN SDGs

    Date: Mar 20, 2019 | 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Location: Design 2 Building (I2), Auditorium | Marietta Campus

     

    EQUINOX Week: UN SDGs

    Date: Mar 18, 2019 | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Location: Carmichael Student Center, Room CDE | Kennesaw Campus

    View 2019 Forum Schedule

     

    United Nation + National Days/Themes

    March 20th
    • UN International Day of Happiness (well-being)
    March 21st
    • Solar Spring EQUINOX
    • UN International Day of Nowruz -- an ancestral festivity marking the New Year of several nations around the world
    • UN International Day of Forests
    • UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
    • UNESCO World Poetry Day
    March 22nd
    • UN International Day of Water
    March 23rd
    • UN World Meteorological Day
    • National Energy Education Day

    EQUINOX_Exhibit

    Date: Mar 18 – Mar 28, 2019
    Location: Architecture Building (N), Gallery | Marietta Campus

  • Tuesday, March 20

    UN International Day of Happiness
    Architecture Building (N), PIT & Gallery | Marietta Campus | 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

    • Opening: EQUINOX_Exhibit
    • EQUINOX Lecture Series: Happiness
    • Tour: Campus Sustainability

     

    Wednesday, March 21

    UN Day of Forest, Racial Discrimination Elimination, Poetry, Nowruz
    Sponsored by: Office of Diversity and Inclusion

    Prillaman Hall, Indoor Plaza | Kennesaw Campus | 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    • EQUINOX SYMPOSIUM: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
    • Farmers Market Spring Festival

     

    Thursday, March 22

    UN Day of Water
    Science Building, Room 302 & Campus Green | Kennesaw Campus | 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

    • EQUINOX Lecture Series: Water
    • The Oasis
    • Campus Sustainability Tour
    • Event: KSU OwlSwap Location: Campus Green

     

    Friday, March 23

    National Energy Education Day
    Architecture Building (N), PIT + Gallery | Marietta Campus | 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

    • EQUINOX Forum: Energy and Built Environment
    • Tour: Solar Energy on Campus

     

    Saturday, March 24

    Earth HOUR
    Austin Residence Complex II: Green | Kennesaw Campus | 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

    • Global Climate Change Action

     

    March 21 - 27
    • UN Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination

     

    View 2018 Forum Schedule View 2018 Exhibition Schedule
  • Coming Soon.