On Feb. 26, Carolina Engagement Week will embark on its third year of connecting UNC students, faculty and staff with community organizations across the state.
The week of events, which runs through March 1, will feature workshops, research presentations, classes and other activities both on UNCs campus and throughout the community.
Engagement Week, which is mostly run by the Carolina Center for Public Service, has expanded since it was first offered in 2022 to include more in-person options, events off campus, student involvement and student-run events, Margaret Barrett, the center’s associate director, said.
“I really think it’s so important for folks to come together and talk about issues that matter,” Barrett said.
This spring’s Climatopia research team, a cohort of students aiming to build resilient communities in the face of natural disasters, will introduce their climate change-focused board game during an interactive workshop on Feb. 29. Since 2019, faculty and more than 60 students have used BeAM Makerspace facilities to develop prototypes of the game, the final version of which was completed in the fall.
“As you play, the goal of the game is to get to Climatopia, which just represents a utopia where our community is prepared for and ready for climate disaster,” Sydney Van Buren, Climatopia’s chief operating officer, said.
The event will allow Climatopia researchers to show their work, receive feedback and connect with community members who want to learn more about climate change, Van Buren said.
Climatopia’s workshop is one of many events during the week that qualifies for Campus Life Experience credit. All events are open to students, faculty, staff and community members.
Kathryn Wall and Anna Spencer, co-directors of public history at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center, are also hosting an event about processing oral history during the week to showcase their work.
