Virtual Forum: The Ecological Turn with Mary Evelyn Tucker & Peter Senge

The Ecological Turn

A Pathways to Planetary Health Virtual Forum

Please join us for this interactive online Forum hosted by the Pathways to Planetary Health initiative at the Garrison Institute.

As we grapple with modern ordeals, how can ancient wisdom and systems thinking guide us toward a more sustainable and compassionate world?

Renowned scholars Mary Evelyn Tucker and Peter Senge will join us to explore the intersection of ecology, Confucian thought, and transformational change.

Drawing on concepts related to unity, an ethics of responsibility, and participation in natural processes — they will discuss what anthropocentric, anthropocosmic, and ecocentric worldviews mean for how we engage with the world. Join us for a rich dialogue on Ecological Civilization and the opportunity to reorient toward ecological ways of being in the face of planetary change.

We will conduct this LIVE Forum on Zoom at 12:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday March 18, 2025. After registering, you will receive a link to join the session. Please email us at events@garrisoninstitute.org with questions.

SPEAKERS

Mary Evelyn Tucker, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer and Research Scholar at Yale University with appointments in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, the Divinity School, and the Department of Religious Studies. She teaches in the joint MA program in religion and ecology and directs the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale with her husband, John Grim. A pioneer in the field of religion and ecology and an expert in world religions, she has published hundreds of articles, co-authored and edited over 20 books, and co-executive produced the award-winning film, Journey of the Universe. Mary Evelyn and John have been building bridges between East and West and sharing the ideas and aspirations of Ecological Civilization for decades.

Peter Senge, PhD, is Co-Founder of the Center for Systems Awareness and Senior Lecturer in Leadership & Sustainability at MIT. Peter has been at the forefront of organizational learning since publishing his classic text, The Fifth Discipline, which provided theories and methods to foster aspiration, develop reflective conversation, and understand complexity in service of shaping learning-oriented organization cultures. Throughout his career, Peter asks “how do we create the conditions for people to work together at their best, cultivating the innate systems intelligence that is our birthright but is all but lost in modern culture?”

Stephen Posner, PhD, is Director of Pathways to Planetary Health at the Garrison Institute, where he develops practical, scalable approaches to addressing planetary health challenges. He has published over 50 technical and non-technical articles on sustainability science, leverage points for change, and assessment of social and ecological systems. Stephen applies science and draws from contemplative practices across traditions to align human systems with nature. He builds understanding across sectors and serves as a trusted advisor to policymakers and funders. Mary Evelyn and Peter are both valued members of the Pathways Advisory Council and advise Stephen’s work leading the Pathways to Planetary Health Initiative.

Please contact us for questions and inquiries at events@garrisoninstitute.org