UIS event to focus on environmental impacts of AI and data center development
The University of Illinois Springfield will host a public event examining the environmental and community impacts of growing data center development. Boston University researcher Mary D. Willis will discuss data centers’ energy and water demands and potential policy solutions.
The University of Illinois Springfield will host Mary D. Willis, an assistant professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health, for a speaker-series event focused on the environmental effects of artificial intelligence and data center growth. The event is scheduled for Oct. 21 at Brookens Auditorium and is free and open to the public.
Willis will examine the local impacts of U.S. data centers, including their substantial energy and water use, and propose policies to reduce environmental harms and protect communities. The event is sponsored by several UIS sustainability and public-health groups as part of the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience Speaker Series.