Levin College of Law

Early Environmental Law Scholars Conference

November 6-8, 2025

University of Florida Levin College of Law

University of Florida Levin College of Law is pleased to host the 2nd Annual Early Environmental Law Scholars (EELS) Conference in Gainesville, Florida, on November 7 and 8, 2025. The event will kick off with an evening reception on November 6.

The event is open to junior academics (i.e. those with less than 7 years on the tenure-track and PhD students/Fellows/Visiting Assistant Professors (VAPs)) teaching at U.S. schools.  Funding may be available for those without institutional support to attend.

Sessions will include a panel with senior scholars on Navigating Academia in a Time of Change, works-in-progress scholarship presentations, a teaching workshop, and more!  Sessions are scheduled for Friday and Saturday morning.  On Friday afternoon, we will take a group field trip to enjoy the natural beauty of North Florida while building deeper bonds with our colleagues.  The event will end after lunch on Saturday.  The full schedule will be emailed to registered participants, and a provisional draft schedule is available below.

Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to submit a work-in-progress for presentation.  We will accept papers at any stage of pre-publication – ranging from an abstract or concept outline to papers that have been accepted for publication but are not yet in print.  Each presenter will give a short presentation on their work and will serve as an official commentator on one other paper.  Organizers will do their best to thematically pair papers and commentators.

A hotel block has been reserved at the Eleo Hotel.  To reserve your room, please click here.

 

Schedule:

Thursday, November 6

  • 7:00 PM — Welcome Reception

Friday, November 7

  • 8:00 AM — Breakfast & Introductions
  • 9:00 AM — Keynote Panel – Navigating Academia and Environmental Law in a Time of Change
  • 10:30-10:45 AM — Break
  • 10:45 AM — Scholarship Group 1 (Room 1)
  • 10:45 AM — Scholarship Group 2 (Room 2)
  • 12:30 PM — Leave for Field Trip (box lunch on bus)
  • Afternoon — Field Trip – Kayaking / Hiking at Ichetucknee Springs State Park
  • 7:00 PM — Dinner

Saturday, November 8

  • 8:00 AM — Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM — Teaching Panel: Teaching Climate Change Law (Room 1)
  • 9:00 AM — Teaching Panel: Sustainability in Core Classes (Room 2)
  • 10:30-10:45 AM — Break
  • 10:45 AM — Scholarship Group 3 (Room 1)
  • 10:45 AM — Scholarship Group 4 (Room 2)
  • 12:30 PM — Lunch and Fostering Collaboration Session (ends by 2PM)

Please note this schedule is subject to change and will be updated as the conference approaches.

Please register by October 24, 2025.

Register Now

Please direct any questions to Professor Alex Erwin at erwin@law.ufl.edu.