Sacred Synergies: Nature, Faith, & Science with Katharine Hayhoe

ASL Interpreted
Attendance is in-person or virtual.

How do we talk about climate change—across scientific, faith, and cultural divides?

Kick off this year’s Spirit & Place Festival with a virtual keynote featuring Katharine Hayhoe—Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy, evangelical Christian, and author of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.

Embrace the spirit of community with food, fellowship, and the chance to connect with event partners at our in-person watch party at the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation or bring that spirit to your place by connecting virtually. After Hayhoe’s keynote, join IU experts—online or in person—for interactive workshops exploring how to navigate tough climate conversations through dialogue, science and policy communication, and improv.

Why a virtual keynote & watch party? To reduce her carbon footprint, Hayhoe presents virtually. We’re pleased to offer both a communal in-person experience at Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation and an online Zoom option. All attendees will have a chance to explore what it means to talk—and listen—across divides.

Joining online? Use this link (forthcoming) to register and receive the webinar access details. Do not complete the Eventbrite registration, as that is for in-person attendance only.

Can I register for both the in-person and online options? We kindly ask that you select just one. This helps us plan the event space, prepare the right number of handouts, and reduce food waste by keeping our catering count accurate.

Questions: Contact 317-274-2462 or [email protected].

This event is part of the Spirit & Place Festival. Learn more about the festival and its 30+ community events happening this November 6 - 16 at .

Info: Arrive early at 5:30PM for heavy hors d’oeuvres, live viola music by Colette Abel, and a chance to mingle with our event partners before Katharine takes the virtual stage at 6PM.

Info: Katharine Hayhoe will begin her virtual keynote following a brief welcome from Spirit & Place and the Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation. A moderated Q&A session led by the IU Environmental Resilience Institute will follow her remarks. A limited number of audience questions will also be answered.

Info: For online guests: While your cameras won’t be on, you’ll have plenty of ways to join in! Use the Q&A function to engage with Katharine and then stick around afterwards for something special: a short, interactive session with a representative from the IUI O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at their Constructive Dialogue work—practical, proven strategies for talking through the tough stuff. Curious about how to keep conversations open instead of shutting them down? You’ll walk away with a tool designed exactly for “important, complicated issues that can divide people.”

Info: Don’t leave right after Hayhoe's talk—you’ll miss one of the evening’s most engaging experiences! Krista Longtin, IU communication expert and winner of Spirit & Place’s 2019 Award of Awesomeness (“A Faith Leader and a Scientist Walk into a Bar”), will lead a fun improv-based workshop that will get you laughing, connecting, and reflecting on how to ask questions from genuine curiosity. You’ll practice communication skills that help build bridges and common ground, something we all need more of.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Indianapolis Hebrew Congregation, 6501 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, United States