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College will participate in national teach-in event on fighting global climate change
The College, along with more than 1,000 other colleges, universities, and organizations across the nation, will host Focus the Nation Jan. 30-31, a national teach-in event dedicated to raising public awareness of global warming.
The event includes a national webcast at 8 p.m. Jan. 30, followed by various programs, lectures, and activities throughout the day on Jan. 31. The College’s participation in this event is co-sponsored by the College’s Sustainability Committee, the geology and environmental geosciences department, the Environmental Science Minor, and Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection (LEAP). All events are free and open to the public.
Specifically, the College is taking a multidisciplinary approach to help educate students as to how their majors are useful in the intervention of climate change.
“Our goal is to show that global warming is definitely a problem, but we, the American population, already have the tools to remediate it,” explains chemical engineering major Dan Goldberg ’09 (Avon, Conn.), president of LEAP. “By educating students how to use their major to help combat the problem, we will help to start a community-wide coalition. In addition, we would like to inform students what Lafayette is currently doing and what the students can do right now in their dorm rooms and in their houses to begin to resolve the problem.”
Students and faculty who are planning the event include Goldberg; Marquis Scholar Jennifer Tillman ’10 (Kensington, Md.), who is majoring in biology; Trustee Scholar Stephanie Tatge ’08 (Sarasota, Fla.), who is majoring in international affairs; Kira Lawrence, assistant professor of geology and environmental geosciences; Javad Tavakoli, professor of chemical engineering; Diane Elliott ’74, visiting instructor of government and law; David Sunderlin, assistant professor of geology and environmental geosciences; and George Xiques, manager of sustainability and environmental planning.
“We hope people will see that global climate change affects everyone from any discipline, but anyone can make small or large changes to help fight it,” Tillman says. “We hope students will become more involved in environmental issues and learn how the government is trying to create legislation to do this as well.”
Focus the Nation Schedule:
Jan. 30
National Focus the Nation Webcast, “2 % Solution,” and a discussion with President Daniel Weiss, 8 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights, room 104
Jan. 31
Brownbag Panel Discussion with Dru Germanoski, Van Artsdalen Professor and head of geology and environmental geosciences, Christopher Ruebeck, assistant professor of economics and business, and Katalin Fabian, assistant professor of government and law, 12:15 p.m., Farinon College Center, Marlo Room (lunch provided)
Panel Discussion with PennFuture representative Joy Bergey and George Xiques, 7 p.m., in the Marlo Room (snacks provided)