Introducing Harvard's CLP Cohort 2023-2024
CLP members, and a friendly cow, at the winter retreat weekend.
The 2023–2024 Climate Leaders Program Cohort gathered for its first retreat on October 14th and 15th, 2023. This new cohort consists of 33 graduate students from Harvard’s Kennedy, Business, Law, Extension, and Divinity Schools. As well as the Graduate Schools of Design, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Education, and Public Health.
On Saturday, the retreat started with a tour of the Radcliffe Institute’s exhibition titled, Water Stories: River Goddesses, Ancestral Rites, and Climate Crisis. The exhibition is on full display until December 16th, 2023—we highly recommend taking a look. The cohort had the privilege of speaking with the exhibition’s curator and Harvard faculty member Jinah Kim, as well as the artist Atul Bhalla, whose work I was Not Waving but Drowning II (2005) was featured. Themes occupying the minds of many in the cohort included the role that art plays in political change, the relationship between cultural convictions about water and urban planning, and entitlements to natural resources. Later that day, the group went to HUCE’s facilities for lunch and a working session on priorities/plans for the year.
On Sunday, the group convened and spent time together at Harvard Forest, the university’s forest research center in Petersham, MA. The cohort was able to view the intricate, Wes Anderson-esque dioramas of forest ecology and colonial landscape history on display at the Fisher Museum. The cohort had an in depth discussion on pre-colonial Native stewardship of what is now Harvard Forest, and the function of Harvard University’s land acknowledgments. CLP members toured several ongoing experiments at Harvard Forest, including the soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics experiment (featuring the same ground-warming technology as a certain NFL team’s stadium). Members made their way up one of the hardwood walk-up towers to view above the tree canopy and learn about the variety of atmosphere monitoring devices.
Since the retreat, the cohort has begun to convene into smaller research clusters focused on specific expertise areas within climate research. The clusters currently focus on: Sustainable Transportation; Climate Advocacy and Environmental Justice; Energy and Decarbonization; Food, Agriculture and Biodiversity; Built Environment Adaptation; and Climate Tech & Finance. In the coming weeks, the clusters look forward to sharing the fruits of their conversations and workshops through blog posts on the CLP website. They eagerly anticipate the opportunity to forge connections and develop as a cohesive group over the academic year. Moreover, they're enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge to advance actions in the area of climate research.
— CLP ‘23-’24 —
‘Our Forest Keepsake’
During their visit to Harvard Forest, members collected leaf litter, bark, pinecones, berries, grasses, and fern fronds with hopes of creating a CLP logo for the academic year. These natural fragments were pressed and arranged to represent a vivid snapshot of when climate leaders joined together in the crisp air and quiet woods.
Every fragment is distinct, symbolizing not just the composition within the forest but also the composition of the group. When combined in imperfect symmetry, it forms a fusion of Earth tones and patterns, creating a coherent message they aim to resonate with throughout the year.
