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Ag & Food Systems Urban Built Environ.

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"Great overall program. It really helps to be fully immersed in an all-week program that brings in expert speakers and integrates field trip-style learning mechanisms."

-Corporate Sustainability Coordinator

The Summer Sustainability Series offers unique professional programs based on the ground-breaking work of Oregon’s businesses, universities, not-for-profit organizations, and policy makers.  We visit experts and practitioners in the field as they bring their experiences to life. Participants will join other thought leaders from a range of professions, pushing beyond the current thinking to find better solutions.

Sustainability in the Urban Built Environment Explore a Living Laboratory: Portland, Oregon, June 22-26, 2009 Portland has earned a reputation of leadership in sustainability, but behind the curtain stands a living laboratory of successes, failures, and on-going experiments. Examine leading-edge sustainable design principles at work in a mix of commercial, industrial, residential, and infrastructure projects. Hear from previous participants: Architect Video Developer Video Corporate Video		Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems From Farms to Food in Oregon’s Willamette Valley: June 22-26, 2009 This mobile symposium will venture from our base in Corvallis, Oregon to industry-leading farms and ranches, processors, distributors, markets and restaurants up and down the valley. Join fellow leaders as we wrestle with today’s challenges – economics, water, labor, land, carbon footprints, certifications, customers’ increasing demands – and review attempts at real-world solutions.
A traveling symposium. A hands-on summit. A five-day professional field trip.

• Each day is packed with challenging, interactive learning. More than half of the curriculum and interaction will take place in the field. 
• These unique programs are limited to just 20 professionals and 15 top graduate students – from the region, across the country, and from abroad. Accepted applicants will be enrolled on a first come basis. Apply Now.

What you’ll do:

• Visit diverse, industry-leading examples, and talk directly with on-site experts.
• Learn from innovators in all sectors: university, business, government, and not-for-profit.
• Join other leaders in dynamic case-study discussions of the sites you visit, and apply them to your own opportunities and challenges.

What you’ll take home:

• The latest approaches to implementing sustainable strategies and practices.
• Direct input on situations you're facing in your work or your community. (The last day will feature a multi-disciplined team of experts assembled to address your challenges.)
• Powerful tools and models, with strategies to apply them to your situations.
• Connections with a network of fellow thought-leaders, including the presenters and program participants, facilitated by on-going online resources.

Read about our previous leaders (from the July 2008 program):

Convened by The Oregon Business Council and the Oregon University System.