James Collard, professor of Regional and City Planning and director of planning and economic development for the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, was invited to speak at the “Making Global Goals a Local Affair” webinar. The event took place on Aug. 10 and was hosted by the International Economic Development Council.
The IEDC is a non-profit organization that serves economic developers through training courses, webinars, conferences and publications. This webinar was a part of the IEDC’s Global Opportunities series and focused on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The webinar featured a panel of international stakeholders and leaders in sustainable development to discuss how communities can thrive by engaging with SDGs. According to the IEDC, adopting and advancing the UNs’ SDGs is imperative for communities that want to grow and retain a talented workforce and create a lasting impact. While the scale of global goals is unprecedented, the IEDC believes all business communities can contribute to SDGs.
Collard was joined by David Aduama, communications manager for the Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, and Clare Barnett, director of economic development for the City of Brampton Economic Development Office. The panelists discussed the 17 SDGs and explored a variety of related topics, including:
Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture congratulates Thinh "Henry" Duong, a master's student in the Division of Interior Design, for earning first place in the 2026 Robert Bruce Thompson Annual Student Light Fixture Design Competition.
Gibbs College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities (IQC) Director and Division of Planning, Landscape Architecture, and Design (PLAD) faculty member Amber N. Wiley, Ph.D., recently published a new book, Collective Yearning: Black Women Artists from the Zimmerli Art Museum.
In May, students from the Christopher C. Gibbs College of Architecture's Architecture, Environmental Design, and Interior Design programs participated in an intensive five-day Studio in Residence at Taliesin West, the iconic winter home and desert laboratory of Frank Lloyd Wright.
