The 2023 CEAS Symposium @ Biosphere 2: Sustainability and Resilience in East Asia presents research that examines the scientific, social, and cultural dimensions of the environment and sustainability in East Asia. This event looks to foster open and unreserved interdisciplinary presentations and discussion on these increasingly crucial issues.

The Biosphere 2 research center covers 3.14-acres (1.27-hectare) of Sonoran Desert north of Tucson. It was originally built in 1991 to facilitate research into living in space. As a self-contained artificial biosystem, the Biosphere 2 site has become a node for interdisciplinary research into anthropogenic impacts to the planet. Within the site are human-made recreations of rainforest, ocean, wetlands, and other biomes. The University of Arizona began research at the site from 2007 and took full ownership from 2011. This unique setting was chosen for the biennial CEAS Symposium on Sustainability and Resilience in East Asia as it exemplifies research into the myriad of issues surrounding anthropogenic influences on the Earth. 

The 2023 CEAS Symposium @ Biosphere 2: Sustainability and Resilience in East Asia is the first of a planned biennial series of symposia. Using the broad themes of “sustainability” and “resilience” viewed through East Asia, CEAS hopes to create a space for open and unreserved interdisciplinary discussions on these increasingly crucial issues. The 2025 EAS Symposium @ Biosphere 2: Sustainability and Resilience in East Asia will offer a call for proposals during in the spring or summer of that year. We eagerly await your submission when the time comes. 

The Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) is a TitleVI federally funded organization under the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona. It works with various departments, schools and centers across the campus including, but not limited to the department of East Asian Studies (EAS), the Center for Buddhist Studies (CBS), and the program for Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT). CEAS assists and promotes the study of and research into East Asian languages and cultures throughout the university. Among other initiatives, CEAS aims to promote education and research surrounding sustainable futures with/in East Asia.