CONFERENCE FOCUSES ON ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER AND RISK

The frequency and intensity of hurricanes in 2005, including Katrina and Rita, have drawn attention to the potential effects of climate change and to the environmental consequences of industrial and consumer activity. These phenomena are likely to increase the costs to individuals, companies and governments of recovery from future disasters, and thus to increase the risks to be covered by the insurance industry.

This is the premise of "The Risk Industry: Ensuring the Global Environment?" — a conference of students and scholars in International Studies at Bryn Mawr and Haverford Colleges, to be held at the Gateway Conference Center on Friday, March 31, from 9:50 a.m. to 3 p.m. The conference will examine trends in environmental change, natural disasters and recovery costs, and will explore the implications of these trends for insurance firms.

After a welcome address by Professor of Political Science Michael Allen, three panels of students will consider such questions as how insurance firms are responding to environmental change in terms of underwriting policies, research and education, lobbying for legislation or support for relevant international agreements; and what might be done by insurance firms, researchers and educators, governments and citizens to ensure a sustainable future. Members of the political-science faculty and the Center for International Studies will attend and offer comments and questions to presenters.

See the Center for International Studies' Web site for a complete schedule. Student presenters are Alnisa Bell '06, guest student Elodie Boulch, Rachel Clark '06, Amanda David '06, Lily King '06, Andiah Kisia '08, LaToya LaVita '06, Connie Lee '06, Nat Lippert HC '06, Elisa Mari '06, Sarah Major '06, Cara Pasquale '06, Whitney Ricketts '06, Aarsi Sagar '06, Rachel Schwartz '06, Theresa Skatun '06, Melissa Smith '06, guest student Shino Sonoda, Anirudh Suri HC '06 and Susan Willis '06.

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