Brown University President Christina Paxson and Provost Richard M. Locke published an open letter to the Brown community via the Brown Daily Herald student newspaper Sunday, Jan. 29. In it, they stated: "During this moment of great political uncertainty in our country, including the recent signing of various executive orders and possible policy changes ahead affecting education and research, we must be vigilant and deliberate in upholding our core values as a university." In a separate community letter, Provost Locke described steps Brown is taking in the wake of the recent executive order on immigration and highlighted resources available to community members. Dean Andrew G. Campbell, in a letter to students, states the Graduate School's commitment to admitting the strongest applicants without regard to citizenship.  A subsequent letter reaffirms Brown's commitment to doctoral funding. Get more information at a dedicated website.

The second Academy in Context event of 2016-17 features Prof. John Mustard and Deborah Gordon in a February 15 dinner-seminar entitled, “Climate Change: Perspectives on Challenges in Two Key Sectors.” Mustard will focus on how agricultural systems will adapt to changing climate to serve a growing population's demands for food and fuel. Gordon will speak about the complexities and challenges affecting climate change due to the significant diversity in global oils’ greenhouse gas emissions. These two sectors—agriculture and oil—underscore the need for honesty and transparency, even when existing rules are not requiring it, the speakers say.