“I looked forward to the sessions every Friday as they were always informative and insightful, especially for someone whose area of expertise is in the social sciences. I particularly enjoyed the sessions on nutrition and dietetics in young people and creating Wi-Fi zones for inner city children to ensure that they have access to necessary tools for learning. The sessions were well timed, and the speakers were all very articulate and knowledgeable. - Chantelle Cummings, Instructor II (ICPS), University of Trinidad and Tobago.”

“The microplastics lecture was the most useful one for the environmental science class this last school year. Thank you for putting them together! - Dave Carter, Science, Auto, and Welding Teacher, Great Lakes Adventist Academy.”

“The program is wonderful. While I could not always attend, the sessions I did attend were very informative. Some of my favorites were the Ukrainian ecological conservation professors; Ann St. Amand on water quality; and the coral reef preservation presentation(s). - Laurel Berman, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, National Brownfields Coordinator, University of Illinois Chicago Public Health Lecturer.”

“I am teaching a project based social studies class and have incorporated the Environmental Fridays lectures. I have chosen the episodes that most closely aligned with the topics I was covering at any given week. What seemed to get the students attention the most is that I highlighted the credentials of these speakers while they could see the cultural diversity of the speakers. I have the impression environmental concerns become more real to students through watching these lectures most especially on the odd week we joined the discussion in real time. My hope is to continue working toward being part of the discussion for these lectures as I feel those were the days the students seemed to be most interested. This program is incredibly valuable. – Stephanie Hoops, History/Social Studies Teacher, Countryside Academy, Benton Harbor, MI”

“I am a passionate CAPE Biology and Environmental Science teacher at Bishop Anstey and Trinity College East Sixth Form and have always encouraged my students to find purpose and look for aspects of society where they can play key roles. However, many of my students have expressed their dreams and aspirations for environmental pursuits. Although, there are some opportunities for them to explore these aspirations within our Caribbean Island of Trinidad and Tobago, the discovery of Environmental Fridays facilitated by Dr. Desmond Murray was the perfect opportunity for my students to gain insight of the many environmental threats and ways to counteract their effects from all around the world.

From simply viewing these live stream programs, students have started to research and establish fields of environmental concerns that they wish to make contributions towards. I have also found Environmental Fridays to be useful within my classroom to initiate discussion among our students encouraging them to critically think and draw examples relating to the syllabus content. Environmental Fridays has also contributed to educating and bestowing environmental awareness to our young people, fostering a generation that will practice and contribute to the aim of creating a sustainable society. I will continue to encourage my students to participate in these well-informed and effective sessions as it has indeed made a positive impact on their development. Thank you, Dr. Murray, for these wonderful sessions. – Padmanie Ramoutar, CAPE Biology and Environmental Science Teacher, Bishop Anstey and Trinity College East Sixth Form, Trinidad.”

“My experience attending Dr. Desmond Murray's Environmental Fridays was nothing short of spectacular. As an Environmental Science student, I was able to broaden my knowledge on familiar topics such as climate change, microplastic pollution, and air pollution and gain information beyond what was taught in class. One of the sessions that resonated with me was the impact of the external environment on our choices and lifestyle, it was something that I often overlooked and through the informative session, I was able to realize its importance in our lives today. Lastly, I admired how the sessions were targeted to promote environmental consciousness and it's something I'm now encouraged to carry on. - Tamia Jameson, CAPE Upper Six Environmental Science and Biology Student, Bishop Anstey and Trinity College East Sixth Form, Trinidad.”

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to attend your very informative sessions. I especially enjoyed learning about the impacts of microplastic pollution on our planet's oceans and how easily these plastics enter them. - Chelsea Johnson, CAPE Upper Six Environmental Science and Biology Student, Bishop Anstey and Trinity College East Sixth Form, Trinidad.”

“The unique scientific presentations provided a window on a variety of career opportunities. If I were still teaching public health I would use Environmental Fridays as a resource for my students to get an idea of the range and intersections of Environmental Science and Planetary Health. By curating the presentations, it is available in one spot where teachers can download and use in a flipped classroom on relevant topics. - Sylvia T. Callender-Carter DrPH, Curriculum Specialist/Adjunct Faculty, PIH/University of Global Health Equity.”

“Initially, Environmental Fridays represented a concise way to hear about an environmental topic that seemed niche to me. Yet, as I continued participating, I realized that the 'niche' topics discussed impacted significant populations and myself. This realization helped me to become more conscious of environmental issues while taking action for myself. Specifically, the "EF II, Episode 4 - Radon: The Silent Killer by Mary Reynolds" showed me that there are hidden dangers in our everyday lives, leading me to test my home's radon levels. In addition, it has helped me to consider the environmental impacts that other issues, like war, could cause, as shown in "EF II, Episode 14 - Environmental Protection in Wartime Ukraine." I now try to consider how problems in other subjects can directly or indirectly impact the environment. Lastly, I could engage in diverse discourses and learn from experts by participating in Environmental Fridays, especially in the Q&A session. – Jongwon Bae, Andrews University Biochemistry Major.”

“At The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, our students participated in several ways with Environmental Fridays. They were able to view live meetings in our student lounge in between classes and teachers could refer students to the YouTube recordings on topics of specific interest to them or relevant to class content. Finally, several of our students acted as a co-host with Dr. Murray, which provided them with valuable experience in both interpersonal skills as a well as helping them to envision themselves as part of the larger scientific community. – Dr. Clear Moore, Director for Academic Affairs, The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.”

“I found Environmental Fridays very interesting! It kept me in contact with the Caribbean and with classic style science, it gave me a way to talk about the art of applying science to create social and environmental change. And it connected my Rotary club to you and Environmental Fridays. - Dawn Johnson, Past President, Rotary E-club of the Caribbean, Past Director, Integrated Community Services, Hopital Albert Schweitzer, Haiti.”