Here’s a riddle: When 24 Indonesian islands mysteriously disappear, one of the world’s deadliest crime syndicates rises to power, and 8 cities the size of New York are stamped out of the ground every year for the next three decades — what connects them all? Surprisingly, sand. In this seminar, Aurora Torres will talk about her journey from Road Ecology to Sand sustainability. She will provide an overview of her research on global challenges associated with a growing demand for sand, including impacts on biodiversity and human conflicts, and sand mining transitions.