The Harvard Club of New Jersey cordially invites you to the 121st Annual Dinner
On: Thursday, May 15th, 2025 at 6:30 pm
At: Primavera Regency 1080 Valley Rd, Stirling, NJ 07980
With: Honored Guest and Speaker
Dr. Ann-Christine Duhaime, The Nicholas T. Zervas Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery at HMS
Presenting: Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis
The event will begin at 6:30pm, with a buffet dinner starting at 7:00pm. Our honored guest will speak at 8:15pm. A cash bar will be available throughout the evening.
About our speaker :
Dr. Ann-Christine Duhaime is the Nicholas T. Zervas Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and served as Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital until May 2021. She has a longstanding interest in the relationship between brain and behavior, and in environmental issues. Dr. Duhaime is a Faculty Associate of the Harvard University Center for the Environment. In 2016 she spent a year as a Fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University where she studied the neurobiology of reward circuitry and its relevance to pro-environmental behavior. She has been a practicing board-certified pediatric neurosurgeon for three decades, with experience in all aspects of pediatric neurosurgical practice including acute trauma, surgical treatment of epilepsy, craniofacial conditions, brain tumors, and congenital spinal cord disorders.
In 2022, Dr. Duhaime wrote “Minding the Climate,” a fascinating book where she addresses the question, “If we believe the climate crisis is real, why is it so difficult to change our behavior and our consumer tendencies?” She explains that if a behavior isn’t perceived as immediately beneficial, we probably won’t do it―even though we know we should. Our desire to prioritize short-term consumer pleasures spurs climate change, but the brain’s amazing capacity for flexibility can, and likely will, enable us to prioritize the long-term survival of humanity.
For $25 each, we will reserve a hardcover copy of Dr. Ann-Christine Duhaime's book, "Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis." With this reservation, your book(s) will be waiting for pick-up at the HCNJ Annual Dinner, where the guest speaker (Dr. Duhaime) will personalize and sign your book(s). You will be saving $10 off the lowest list price for this book ($35 on Amazon)! From each book purchased, the HCNJ will donate $7 to support our January Internship Program, described below. A limited number of books are available, so place your order today! Book orders are not returnable and not refundable.
The Annual Dinner is the Harvard Club of New Jersey’s (HCNJ) primary fundraising event of the year. We hope you can contribute to the HCNJ’s Internship Program when you purchase your ticket(s). Our unique “Winternship” Program sponsors $1,500 stipends for New Jersey Harvard undergrads who intern for local non-profit organizations during J-Term, the one-month period between Harvard’s fall and spring semesters. The program is extremely popular with students, as it gives them an opportunity to explore potential careers, while giving back to their communities. The HCNJ is proud to have funded three Winternships this past January and hopes to sustain, or expand upon, this number in January 2026. We depend on your generous donations for the continuation and success of this program.
J-Term Internship Donations (tax deductible):
- Sponsor ($500)
- Supporter ($250)
- Patron ($100)
- Friend (Any amount is greatly appreciated)
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the HCNJ Vice President LisaMichelle Pecaro at LisaMichellePecaro@alumni.harvard.edu. The ticket cost is $100 for HCNJ members, their guests, incoming 1st year undergrads, and their parents. The cost for non-members is $110.
Please RSVP by early May! There is a limited number of tickets.