Three Penn State deans are co-hosting a discussion on the vital role of land-grant universities and the impact of their research in addressing today’s challenges. The event will highlight cutting-edge research and the University’s commitment to public service. Co-sponsored by the College of the Liberal Arts, University Libraries, and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, the event is free and open to the public, with both in-person and virtual attendance options available.

Featured presenters include:

• Ray Block Jr., Brown-McCourtney Career Development Professor in the McCourtney Institute and associate professor of political science and of African American studies, will present "When False and Misleading Information Becomes Infrastructure: Restoring Trust in an Out-of-Balance Information Ecosystem." By reframing the challenges of misinformation, disinformation and other false or misleading narratives as a systemic infrastructure problem, this presentation moves beyond individual responsibility or government regulation and focuses on practical, multi-level solutions to rebalance our information ecosystem and rebuilding the foundations of truth itself.
• Jennie Knies, University Libraries associate dean for Commonwealth Campus libraries, and Rebecca Waltz, University Libraries associate dean for learning and engagement, will co-present “Research is a Conversation: Libraries, Information Literacy and Constructive Dialogue." This presentation explores the dynamic nature of information literacy, emphasizing its importance in the context of media literacy, artificial intelligence and technology, and will provide insights into the evolving roles of libraries and educators in promoting a nuanced understanding of information literacy, preparing students to be informed and responsible citizens.
• Erica Smithwick, distinguished professor of geography, director of the Earth and Environmental Systems Institute and associate director of the Institute of the Energy and the Environment, who will present “Reimagining the Land Grant mission to meet our climate moment.” Land-grant institutions have a unique and pivotal role to play in stewarding the trust of the communities we serve and accelerating climate solutions, and using examples from the Penn State Climate Consortium, media campaigns (e.g. ScienceMoms) and examples of ongoing climate work from across the University, this session will invite conversation about how to more meaningfully advance climate solutions in the commonwealth.