SIU’s 2026 Earth Science Week Events Focus on Critical Minerals, Public Invited
Date: October 09, 2026
Author: Brooke Keltner
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is celebrating Earth Science Week from October 12-16 with a series of free, public brown-bag lunch talks held daily from noon to 1 p.m. in Parkinson Building Room 101F. This year’s theme is “Critical Minerals for a Thriving Society,” which highlights the importance of critical minerals and their role in supporting essential needs and modern technologies.
Event Schedule:
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Monday, Oct. 12: “Environmental Challenges of Plastic Pollution”
Speaker: Lahiru Jayakody, Associate Professor of Microbiology.
Key Insights: Discusses the impact of synthetic microplastics and a circular economy approach using microbial systems. -
Tuesday, Oct. 13: “Minerals in Agriculture”
Speaker: Erik Brevik, Professor of Agronomy and Geology.
Key Insights: Covers the role of minerals in food production and agricultural practices. -
Wednesday, Oct. 14: “Interdisciplinary Methods to Find/Harvest Critical Resources”
Speakers: Scott Hamilton-Brehm & Daniel Hummer.
Key Insights: Discusses the role of microbes in finding critical rare earth metals. -
Thursday, Oct. 15: “Earthquakes: Public Curiosity and Scientific Investigation”
Speaker: James Conder, Director of the School of Earth Systems and Sustainability.
Key Insights: Shares insights on earthquake causes and seismic studies across various continents. -
Friday, Oct. 16: “Locating/Mining Critical Minerals and Reclaiming Affected Land”
Speaker: Liliana Lefticariu, Professor of Geology.
Key Insights: Explores new extraction technologies and strategies for land restoration post-mining.
For inquiries, contact Larry Dunlap-Berg at larry.dunlapberg@siu.edu.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale is dedicated to addressing modern environmental and Earth science challenges through informative discussions and community engagement during this year’s Earth Science Week.
