Take a moment and think about “sustainability.”

What did you imagine? You may have thought of seas. Mountains. Wildlife.

“Sustainability in Practice: Consensus and Consequences” is the theme of the spring 2018 Public Affairs Conference at Missouri State University, April 10-12.

All 31 events are free and open to the public. Their goal? To expand your horizons of what you think sustainability means.

“One of the things I most hope folks will take away from this is a broader perspective,” said Dr. Michael Burton, professor of agriculture and the 2018 public affairs provost fellow.

“That’s one of the goals of the university,” he said. “It’s clearly part of the public affairs mission, that we would cause people to think in new ways and from different perspectives that don’t necessarily represent just their own culture, but the cultures of many. We want to find ways to act with integrity and engage in our communities.”

Read the full transcript

Ballard keynote welcomes you aboard a discovery of titanic proportions

Exactly 106 years from the day the Titanic set sail, the man who found its wreckage will serve as the conference keynote speaker.

Dr. Robert Ballard will speak at 7:30 p.m. April 10 at Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts. The event is free and open to the public.

The list of plenary speakers also includes Ron Ireland, Brady Deaton, Majora Carter and Vivian Carter. Each plenary session will be live streamed on YouTube.

Share with the official social media kit

Schedule, parking and information

The Public Affairs Conference website provides background information about conference speakers and a complete program.

Guests can park for free at BearPark North, with entrances off Cherry Street and Elm Street. They may also park at BearPark South, located on the corner of Grand Street and Holland Avenue.

The free Bear Line shuttle provides transportation to Plaster Student Union from both parking garages.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Wood, director of public affairs support, at 417-836-5073.