ESPP Weekly Update (09/28/2026)

ESPP Doctoral Student Leo Baldiga Publishes in Journal of Rural Studies on Life After an Aquaculture Boom in Thailand

ESPP dual major doctoral student Leo Baldiga is first author of a new open-access study in the Journal of Rural Studies that asks a question most research on “crop booms” has overlooked: what happens after the boom is over? Focusing on shrimp and fish farming around Bangkok, “What happens after the boom? Aquaculture, land use change, and smallholder resilience in Central Thailand” (Vol. 128, 2026, article 104417) uses three decades of satellite data, a survey of 455 farm households across eight provinces, and in-depth interviews with 40 farmers to show that post-boom livelihoods did not collapse into dispossession and monoculture — instead, smallholders kept farming, kept diversifying, and kept their land.

The research was conducted in collaboration with Ben Belton, Lin Yan, David P. Roy, Meicheng Shen, and colleagues in Thailand, and was supported by the NASA Land Cover Land Use Change program. Read the full news story or the open-access paper.

Documentary Film Screening & Discussion: “A Benton Harbor Story”

The Center for Integrative Studies in General Science and the Environmental Justice & Climate Action Learning Community present the MSU premiere of A Benton Harbor Story, a documentary by MSU Sociology PhD alum and filmmaker Dr. Cedric Taylor. The film examines how decades of disinvestment, state emergency management, and failing infrastructure set the stage for a water crisis in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and shows how residents organized to fight for safe water, accountability, and a voice in decisions shaping their community. Echoing Flint while telling a distinct story of its own, the film explores environmental justice, democracy, and the unequal burdens borne by Black communities when public systems fail. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; the film begins at 7:00 p.m., followed by a panel discussion. Learn more here.

IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition (October 4–8)

The 15th World Water Congress will take place in Glasgow, UK, with around 10,000 participants expected from around the world. It brings together thought-leaders, decision makers, top researchers, and business innovators from across and beyond the water sector to shape the future of water. More information.

Hanover Forest Science Seminar: “Building a Sustainable Forest Bioeconomy through Forest Economic Modeling, Market Innovation, and Decision Support” — Raju Pokharel

Fourth of six in the Hanover Forest Science Seminar Series (Mondays, 11:30–12:30 PM ET, Room 338 Natural Resources, broadcast over Zoom).

Community Sustainability, Hamm-Norris Seminar: “The Role of Restaurants and Chefs in Addressing the Climate Crisis” — Taylor Reid

The food system is responsible for one-third of the global climate footprint, and across the planet people are increasingly eating food prepared by restaurants and institutions. This presentation will discuss both the effect of global climate change on restaurants and chefs and the impacts of the decisions made within restaurants on the size of their climate footprints, and will conclude with thoughts about how restaurants, chefs, and eaters might work together to address the climate crisis. Taylor Reid is Professor of Applied Food Studies at the Culinary Institute of America. Zoom login information is available here.

2026 Great Lakes Microplastics Summit (October 7–8)

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy hosts this dynamic two-day virtual event uniting scientists, professionals, policymakers, and community members to explore the growing impact of microplastics on our freshwater systems, including advances in detection methods, risks to human and environmental health, interactions with other contaminants, and strategies to regulate, reduce, and replace. Register here.

Hanover Forest Science Seminar: “Lignin Valorization: From Scientific Discovery to Industrial Impact” — Mojgan Nejad

Fifth of six in the Hanover Forest Science Seminar Series (Mondays, 11:30–12:30 PM ET, Room 338 Natural Resources, broadcast over Zoom).