Conference Description
The University of Texas at Austin in collaboration with Tongji University and East China Normal University, will host an international symposium entitled: Ecological Wisdom Inspired Urban Resilience Building: Strategies, Tenets, and Practice on November 17-20, 2016 in the city of Austin, Texas, USA. The symposium provides an international forum for transgenerational, transphilosophical, and transdisciplinary explorations; and will feature paper presentations which will later be considered for inclusion in Springer-Nature EcoWISE book series under the same theme.
Topics of Submission
- Ecological wisdom knowledge domain and manifestation
- Relationships between ecological wisdom and contemporary science and technology
- Exemplary cases and revelations from trans-cultural and transdisciplinary traditions
- Theoretical frameworks of ecological wisdom research and practice
- Theoretical core of ecological wisdom and research methods (e.g., the nexus of ecological theoretical wisdom—ecosophy and ecological practical wisdom—ecophronesis)
- Social-learning in ecological wisdom acquisition and ecophronesis
- General principles of ecological wisdom and its application in contemporary landscape planning, design, and management
A collaboration between UT Austin, Tongji University (Shanghai), East China Normal University, (Shanghai), and the International Society for Ecological Wisdom, the conference brings together over forty presenters—the best and brightest minds in the field of ecological wisdom. Fritz Steiner, former dean of UT Austin’s School of Architecture, now dean of PennDesign, will provide the keynote address. The three-day event includes speakers from around the globe, and concludes with a field trip to a still-operating irrigation complex from the early 1700s, as well as a retooled section of the irrigation system that became the “Riverwalk” in downtown San Antonio.
An interdisciplinary field of study, ecology wisdom caters to engineers, architects and landscape architects, planners, historic preservationists, and designers, among other practitioners. The November symposium is targeted to academics and professionals in those fields, and to laypersons with an interest in ecological wisdom. The theme of this year’s conference is Ecological Wisdom Inspired Urban Resilience: Building Strategies, Tenets, and Practice. Speakers will present on topics ranging from Relationships Between Ecological Wisdom and Contemporary Science and Technology to Social Learning and Ecological Wisdom. A selection of the papers presented at the symposium will be included in a forthcoming book, EcoWISE, published by Springer-Nature.
“Ecological Wisdom is an important new approach to planning, engineering, architecture, and design, and is bringing together scholars and practitioners from across disciplines,” remarked Robert Young, Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. “Together, these professionals are drawing upon historical precedents and contemporary science to present some of the most remarkable innovations in creating regenerative cities and regions. The symposium will provide an in-depth examination of ecological wisdom, and catalyze discussion about future possibilities for this exciting new field.”
Ecological wisdom provides an effective framework for achieving urban resilience and sustainability. It incorporates practical and theoretical social and ecological knowledge with site-specific history to develop strategies and action plans that support ethical and sustainable practices. A greater
understanding of ecological wisdom enhances designers’ abilities to make responsible, ecologically-sound decisions for a city or community’s long-term benefit.
Inquiries about the symposium may be directed to Dr. Robert Young, University of Texas at Austin, at ryoung@utexas.edu. To register, please click here.