Solar Punk Farms Co-Founder Spencer R. Scott in Conversation with Sac State Prof. Ajay Singh

Join us on Thursday, November 19th at 6:30pm for an evening of conversation with Spencer R. Scott, biologist, environmentalist, and author of "As If We Were Staying: How We Build a Flourishing Future in a World That’s Falling Apart" (HarperCollins $20). Scott will be joined by Ajay Singh, environmental studies professor at Sacramento State University, for a discussion of ecological resilience, collective action, and the radical possibility of a more hopeful future. A book signing will follow. This event is FREE and open to the public. Seating is limited, advanced registration required. ABOUT THE BOOK What if, instead of preparing for a world in collapse, we began imagining one worth staying for? At a time when climate anxiety, ecological destruction, and social upheaval dominate our understanding of the future, biologist and environmentalist Spencer R. Scott offers a compelling alternative: a vision of life rooted in regeneration, interdependence, and collective possibility. Drawing on his journey from biotechnology research to cofounding Solar Punk Farms, a queer regenerative community and education hub, Scott explores how the natural world's extraordinary capacity for adaptation and resilience might help us rethink our own systems of living. Blending memoir, ecological science, and social criticism, As If We Were Staying challenges the assumptions of a capitalist society that has taught us to prioritize survival over flourishing. Both an urgent reckoning with our present and an invitation to envision something better, As If We Were Staying asks us to consider what becomes possible when we begin acting as though we intend to remain. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Spencer R. Scott, PhD, is a biologist, environmentalist, and cofounder of Solar Punk Farms. His writing explores the intersections of science, ecology, and well-being, and has appeared on NPR and in Sierra Club, Grist, Outside, The Bold Italic, and other publications. He earned his bachelor's degree in Bioengineering from UC Berkeley and his PhD in Bioengineering from UC San Diego, specializing in synthetic biology and genetic engineering. Early in his career, he worked in biotechnology, leading research on cancer immunotherapies that harness the body's own immune cells to recognize and destroy tumors. In 2019, increasingly concerned about the climate crisis, Scott left his career in biotechnology to focus on environmental education and climate solutions. He subsequently served as research director for environmentalist Paul Hawken's book Regeneration and joined the climate nonprofit One Earth, where his work has focused on identifying and advancing science-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss. In 2020, Scott and his husband cofounded Solar Punk Farms in Guerneville, California, transforming a ten-acre property into a center for regenerative agriculture, ecological education, and community building. ABOUT THE MODERATOR Ajay Singh, PhD, is an associate professor of Environmental Studies at California State University, Sacramento, whose research explores the intersection of human behavior, environmental policy, and ecological sustainability. Singh holds a PhD in Environment and Natural Resources from The Ohio State University and completed postdoctoral research at Purdue University. Before entering academia, he worked as an environmental consultant, watershed coordinator, and Peace Corps volunteer with the Honduran Park Service. He has also served on Sacramento County's Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force, bringing his expertise to local efforts addressing climate change and environmental justice. He lives in Sacramento.

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