GCC Affiliates Share Big Ideas at Faculty Nutshell Talks
April 13, 2026
Big ideas took center stage on March 5 at Virginia Tech’s Center for the Arts, where faculty from across campus stepped up to the challenge of the 2026 Faculty Nutshell Talks. With just 90 seconds and no slides or jargon, presenters translated complex research into clear, compelling stories that sparked conversation and connection.
Three Global Change Center affiliates were among this year’s speakers. Participating GCC affiliates and their talks included:
- Dr. Jonathan A. Czuba, Fish who smoke two packs a day
- Dr. Stella Z. Schons, Paying for forest conservation (Judges’ Award)
- Dr. Tess Thompson, Engineering with Nature to restore stream ecosystems
The story doesn’t end with the live event — recordings of all talks are now available on CCS’s YouTube channel as part of the Most‑Watched Video Award competition. We encourage the GCC community and beyond to watch, share, and support these talks as faculty voices continue to connect global‑change research with the public.
