HOUGHTON — The Office of Sustainability and Resilience at Michigan Technological University has announced its 2026 Sustainability Film Series, which will begin Jan. 15.

The series, now in its 16th year, continues the tradition of bringing timely, informative, and thought-provoking films to campus, Lauren Furey, manager of Sustainability Programs & Outreach at Michigan Tech, said in a release.

“The series fosters meaningful dialogue and reflection among Michigan Tech faculty, students, and staff,” she said, “as well as members of the broader Keweenaw community.

The series kicks off with the 2017 National Geographic documentary Jane. According to National Geographic, the film tells the story of Jane, a woman whose chimpanzee research challenged the male-dominated scientific consensus of her time and revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.

Furey’s December Sustainability blog describes the film as using a trove of never-before-seen footage, the film tells the story of Jane Goodall’s early explorations and research in Tanzania, focusing on her groundbreaking field work, her relationship with her cameraman and husband Hugo van Lawick, and the chimpanzees that were the subject of her study.

The Sustainability Film Series focuses on a range of significant topics concerning the environment, including: Water, energy, climate change, as well as many social and community topics: Economics, under-represented voices, sustainable food production, and more. Following each film, a facilitator knowledgeable on that topic, leads an informal discussion.

The series is open to the public, and all films are free to attend. A suggested $5 donation is greatly appreciated to help support the continuation of the series.

Films will be screened at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month from January through May in Fisher Hall Room 138 on Michigan Tech’s main campus. Each screening is followed by a facilitated discussion, with refreshments provided.