Nancy M. Rourke teaches courses in religion and ethics at St. John Fisher University in Rochester, NY where she is Assistant Professor of religious studies. Her research is in ecological ethics and health care ethics. Her most recent book is titled Ecological Moral Character (Georgetown University Press, 2024). Her forthcoming edited volume is The Locus of Theological Vocation (Orbis Press, 2026). She earned her PhD in theology at St. Patrick’s University of Maynooth, Ireland and presents on her research nationally and internationally. Her lecture will discuss the relevance of Catholic moral theology and virtue ethics for understanding sustainability. She also offers deep insight into the theology of the concept of hope which helps everyone that listens to the ‘Beyond the Dark Clouds’ podcast to understand how ‘education for hope’ enables a powerful view of education that unfolds in every aspect of a person’s life – even long after they graduate from university.