This year’s Summit will focus on The Legal Recognition of Indigenous Lands in Brazil. The opening reception will feature keynote speaker Rosaly Byrd, an environmental policy professional at the United Nations Development Programme World Centre for Sustainable Development (RIO+ Centre). She will be introduced by Harris School Interim Dean Kerwin Charles.

The Summit was born as a need to revolutionize the landscape of policy conferences around the country. The main objectives of each Summit is to build strong networks between the students of the top Public Policy schools around the country and to ultimately generate a product of tangible use for leading organizations in their efforts to implement projects and policies. In order to accomplish these goals, the Summit provides an opportunity for social networking for participants through the organization of “hackathon” style working session that address several questions of the particular policy topic at each of their events.

Rosaly Byrd is an environmental policy professional at the United Nations Development Programme World Centre for Sustainable Development (RIO+ Centre) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In this role, Rosaly helps to develop tools, policies and programs that support countries and cities in implementing the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She has previously worked for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Haiti as an environmental specialist on projects relating to sustainable agriculture and land management, fisheries, and protected areas. She is also co-author of the book Sustainability Made Simple, to be released in mid-March. Rosaly holds a Master of International Affairs from the University of California, San Diego.

Sponsored by the International House Global Voices Program, the Harris School of Public Policy, United Nations Development Programme, Rio+ Centre, The Pearson Institute, International Innovation Corps, IPAM and UChicago Grad.