Events and Programs
Environmental Resources Center
Conservation Conversation 2025
September 25. 9AM-4PM. PFW International Ballroom
Step into a full day of learning, collaboration, and action as Purdue Fort Wayne hosts the Conservation Conversation — our region’s premier gathering on climate change and conservation. This year’s event unites leading experts, passionate community leaders, engaged students, and concerned citizens to share research, address challenges, and explore real solutions for our planet’s environmental future.
Join the conversations.
Our events and programs are designed to promote the understanding—and spark the conservation of—the significance of natural resources within our region. Learn about our biggest events and check out the Events Calendar for upcoming ways to get involved with ERC.
Conservation Conversation
Our Shared Future
World wetlands day
Protecting Vital Habitats
Naturally Inspired
Art for the Vernal Equinox
Mark your calendar
No upcoming events were found for this unit at this time.
For more university events, see the Events Calendar.
Past Events
Our first successful years.
Pathways to Progress
The Conservation Conversation included a silent auction, interactive displays, and a fundraising dinner with live entertainment from Alicia Pyle. There were also various speakers throughout the day, panels on topics related to the theme, and our keynote speakers, Jesse Kharbanda and Michael Homoya.
Conversation turned virtual
After having to postpone our spring 2020 event, we excitedly preseneted our third and fourth Conservation Conversations as a series of virtual interviews and panels, shared monthly on the Environmental Resources Center website and social media. Each segment focused on a particular topic and highlighted questions submitted by the community. The entire archive of videos can be found on our Kaltura playlist.
Second Annual Meeting: April 6, 2019
In 2019, we kicked off with a welcome from Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. Throughout the day, more than 25 presentations were given on subjects including climate change, local sustainability efforts, river-water quality, and wildlife research.
Numerous displays featuring area conservation organizations, hands-on activities, and a rain-barrel demonstration encouraged participants to talk with people from various perspectives in conservation.
The afternoon closed with an environmentally centered silent auction, and we finished the day with a reception and a dinner featuring sculptor Sayaka Ganz, who shared the inspirations for her stunning sculptures—spectacular representations of nature using repurposed metal and plastic items.
April 15, 2018
In the opening year, the Conservation Conversation was held in the (then) Steel Dynamics Keith E. Busse Mastodon Alumni Center. The event featured 18 speakers representing the City of Fort Wayne, the Department of Natural Resources, nonprofits like ACRES Land Trust, and a variety of faculty from Purdue Fort Wayne who are affiliated with the Environmental Resources Center.
We had over 100 people in attendance, presenting, displaying, and generally joining in the conversation. It was a wonderful success. However, it became clear that we could grow, and would need a bigger venue. But those are good problems to have.