WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — In the summer of 2023, the skies throughout the Upper Midwest were hidden behind a blanket of smoke. …The gray haze had come all the way from forest fires in Canada. Jingjing Liang, an associate professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, said that the whole world feels the impacts of deforestation and forest degradation in different ways. “The forest ecosystem is a global commodity. We share their risks and benefits, so everybody is responsible for protecting the forests.” In the spirit of building a community to manage and protect the world’s forests, Liang and his colleagues in Science-i created the Global Big Ideas Competition and the Bridging Worlds Workshop. The workshop will be held at Purdue on May 6-7, with an optional reception May 5. Anyone is welcome to attend the free event and can register online by April 12.