What happens when researchers, changemakers, and sustainability enthusiasts gather? More insightful discussions, actionable solutions, and next steps than you might imagine.
Last month's Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress (SRI2025) drew more than 1,700 people from across the globe to Chicago to share ways to combat the world’s climate crisis. The congress’s fifth anniversary and first time being held in the U.S., it featured 450 speakers, over 120 sessions, and 10 excursions exploring Chicago’s cutting-edge sustainability innovations.
As the host of SRI2025, the University of Illinois System ensured sustainability experts, as well as young voices and diverse leaders, got the spotlight they deserved. SRI2025 serves as just one example of how the U of I System reaches its partners globally, nationally, and locally to create real, tangible impact for the public good. Attendees arrived from across the globe, from Morocco to South Africa to Wales, eager to learn actionable steps toward more sustainable practices.
“The work we initiated this week must continue across every discipline and around the world,” said U of I System President Tim Killeen during the event’s closing ceremony. “As was evidenced throughout the congress, SRI2025 served as a forum for making meaningful and strategic connections. Now it’s up to all of us to keep rolling with what we’ve started this week.”
View the curated SRI2025 photo gallery here
Relive the week here
Driving change across industries
Though sustainability research findings and data were hot topics at SRI2025, many sessions focused on using data to inform decisions in the workplace.
Harnessing the Frontier: AI, Quantum, and Advanced Technologies for a Sustainable Future fostered thoughtful conversation among panelists Jonah Smith, Vice President and Global Head of Environmental Social Governance at IBM, Harley Johnson, Executive Director and CEO of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, Josh Richman, Executive Vice President of Market Development at PsiQuantum, and Preeti Chalsani, SVP & Chief Quantum Officer at Intersect Illinois. During the session, moderated by Axios reporter Justin Kaufmann, the business leaders discussed how the evolution of AI has impacted the climate as well as the responsibility that comes with training the next generation of computer scientists.
Powering a Sustainable Future: The Dual Imperative of Water and Energy Transitions, moderated by Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and Great Lakes ReNEW, dove into the various ways we can integrate renewable energy sources into the electrical grid. Panelists Kathryn Huff, Associate Professor at the University of Illinois, JC Kibbey, Climate Advisor for the State of Illinois, Cathriona Fey, VP of Clean Energy Production and Manufacturing at Intersect Illinois, Congressman Bill Foster, and Colleen Wright, VP of Strategy and Growth at Constellation, also discussed policies that can encourage people to use and consume energy more efficiently.
During Planes, Trains, and Green Supply Chains: Innovations for Sustainable Mobility, moderated by Axios reporter Monica Eng, leaders in the transportation industry tackled air pollution in Chicago, examining how emissions impact human health and the environment. Speakers including Imad L. Al-Qadi, Director of the Illinois Center for Transportation, and Christine Rovelli, Chief Revenue Officer of Finnair Oyj, discussed the actionable steps to work toward a decarbonized future. Panelists Erik G. Birkerts, Chief Growth Officer at LanzaJet, Becky Hensley, Sr. Manager of Sustainability at CSX Transportation, and Elizabeth Irvin, Deputy Director of the Office of Planning and Programming at the Illinois Department of Transportation, also offered their insights for a more sustainable city.
Financing the Future – Mobilizing Capital for Sustainability emphasized how businesses need to welcome sustainable practices in order to make a real difference. After a keynote by Jeffrey Sachs, Economist & President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Jim Kirk, Group President at Crain's Chicago Business, introduced Jessica Wollmuth, Americas Deputy Leader of Climate Change and Sustainability Services at EY, Estelle Winkleman, Director of Climate Philanthropy at Salesforce, and Scott Vogt, VP of Strategy & Energy Policy at ComEd. Throughout the morning session, the group discussed the importance of creating systems that prioritize global inclusion and impact.
The session Sustainable Manufacturing & Infrastructure Innovation, moderated by Harkness, featured panelists including Garry Cooper, CEO and Co-founder of Rheaply, Joanne Rodriguez, Founder and CEO at Mycocycle, and Stuart R. Miller, Vice President & Executive Director at the Materials Discovery Research Institute. The panelists unveiled why some businesses are behind when it comes to integrating sustainable practices, and how their companies have created new standards.
“People get it,” said Zoninsein. “They just don’t want to be talked down to, and they have to save money and do business as usual. But if you give them the space to go and get to that conclusion themselves, they will feel more empowered and engaged in the vision.”
Engaging audiences in unexpected ways
Beyond the panels and featured sessions, attendees connected and learned about sustainability and climate change in untraditional ways.
To close out the first day of SRI2025, attendees enjoyed delicious tacos, dumplings, gyros, bite-sized desserts, and other local Chicago food celebrating international cuisine at an Opening Night Celebration. Notable figures, including President Killeen, University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Janet Gooch, and beloved meteorologist Tom Skilling, mingled with attendees throughout the evening.
The “Way of the Rain: Hope for Earth” movie screening, featuring narration by Robert Redford, showcased Earth’s beauty. Orchestra music and the smell of popcorn filled the ballroom as moviegoers enjoyed an evening immersed in nature — without leaving their seats. The night wrapped up with a discussion from our very own Andrea Darlas, professor emeritus Don Wuebbles, and Skilling.
On-the-go attendees explored destinations across Chicago. While The Green Jewel of UIC excursion explored the many ways the University of Illinois Chicago’s (UIC) historic Plant Research Lab marries sustainability and community, the Pollination and Migration: Birds and Butterflies excursion showed how the city’s green spaces improve biodiversity.
On the last day of the congress, President Killeen, along with Wuebbles and professor Jason Lane, celebrated the release of their co-edited book, “Pathways to Sustainability: Collaborative Solutions for a Resilient Future.” The three discussed the new release’s main themes, like unsustainable resource consumption and steps humans can take to build a resilient future, in a panel before signing copies for attendees to bring home.
Spotlighting underrepresented voices in sustainability
The last day of the congress celebrated Juneteenth with a myriad of diverse speakers working to achieve equity in the sustainability space. During Sustainability, Justice & Joy: A Juneteenth Reflection, moderated by UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda, speakers including José E. López, Executive Director and co-founder of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, and Kristol Simms, VP of Clean Energy Transition, Community, Economic & Business Development at Ameren Illinois, discussed how to engage young people to take action and the intersection of sustainability issues and historical events.
<“If we understand how problems start and the history behind them, then we can identify solutions. And I think that is something that should be able to give us hope, and it is also where I go to when I feel challenged,” panelist and social justice artist Tonika Lewis Johnson said during the session. Indigenous voices also took center stage throughout the conference. While Indigenous speakers, including Sauyaq Solutions owner and consultant Dr. Heather Sauyaq Jean Gordon, biologist and Indigenous advocate Sergio Romero Nina, and Indigenous leader Rubiela Barnet Rivera, were spotlighted during the opening and closing ceremonies, one play off an old saying was particularly impactful.
“There is a popular saying: ‘If you want to feed a man for a day, give him a fish. There is the other saying, ‘If you want to feed him for a lifetime, teach him how to fish,’” said panelist Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu, a professor and researcher at North-West University, South Africa, and University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, during Ethical and Respectful Scientific Collaborations with Indigenous Peoples. “Those two seem correct, but I will ask the man, ‘Does he want a fish?’ It’s very important that that’s the way we approach research.”
SRI2025 may have come to a close, but one of its main messages endures: Through partnership, a more sustainable, resilient future is within reach. Attendees left not only feeling inspired but also equipped with the insights and tools needed to drive meaningful change.
SRI wouldn’t have been possible without our sponsors, host committee, executive committee, and volunteers. Thank you to everyone who helped bring this congress to fruition, including our co-conveners, Future Earth and Belmont Forum, and media partners, Crain’s Chicago Business and Axios. Our gratitude also goes out to our partners: Ameren Illinois, American Family Insurance, ComEd, CSX, Ernst and Young (EY), Intersect Illinois, LanzaJet, Northern Trust, PwC, and WBC. Finally, a heartfelt thank you to our host committee: Timothy Killeen, Anita Alexander, Michelle Carr, John Cecala, Phil Clement, Michael Davidson, Doug Farr, Michael Fassnacht, Georgie Geraghty, Eleanor Esser Gorski, Alaina Harkness, Brian Imus, Tonika Lewis Johnson, Tom Livingston, José López, Gil Quinones, Jimmy Samartzis, Rebeccah Sanders, Brian Sauder, Adele Simmons, Jack Lavin, Gail Sturm, Angela Tovar, and Jack Westwood.
