University News
Annual Environmental Summit: April 3, 4
March 29, 2012
MOLINE/MACOMB, IL – The ninth annual Environmental Summit at Western Illinois University will be held April 3 - 4 on the WIU-Macomb and Quad Cities campuses.
The Quad Cities summit is the afternoon and evening of April 3 at the Riverfront Campus and the April 4 event in Macomb will run from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the University Union. Both events are open free to the public.
The theme for this year's summit, "Scientific Discovery and Technological Innovation: Understanding the Environmental Impacts and Creating Solutions," coincides with the 2011-2012 Universitywide theme, "Science and Technology: Discover, Innovate, Create."
Peter Schwartzman, a Knox College associate professor and chair of the school's environmental studies program, is this year's keynote speaker at both summit events. He will speak at 7 p.m. at the WIU-QC Summit and at noon at the WIU-Macomb Summit with the theme, "Living Green...It is Happening but it Could Happen in a MUCH Bigger Way."
Schwartzman is a trained climatologist with interests in a variety of environmental areas, including energy, social justice, population and sustainability.
Schwartzman's academic degrees include a bachelor of science in physics from Harvey Mudd College, a masters of science in science and technology studies at Virginia Tech and a Ph.D. in environmental sciences at the University of Virginia.
The schedule for the Macomb and QC summits includes:
Quad Cities Riverfront campus – Tuesday, April 3:
• 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. – Faculty and student presentations
• 5:30 p.m. – Green jobs panel; dinner
• 7 p.m. – Speaker Peter Schwartzman
Free parking is available at the WIU-QC lot located at 34th Street and 4th Avenue. Metro shuttles operate from downtown Moline's Center Station to the WIU-QC Riverfront campus and the 34th Street lot at 20 and 50 minutes after the hour.
Macomb campus summit: University Union Grand Ballroom – Wednesday, April 4:
• 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Expo – 30 displays by students, faculty, organizations and companies.
• 10 a.m. - "Green Chemistry: A Sustainable Approach to Doing Chemistry," Professor T.K. Vinod, chemistry and 2012 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer.
• 11 a.m. - "GEO(thermal) 101," Jeremy Lang, EnerTech, and Adam Kraus of William J. Kraus and Son, manufacturer and installer of GeoComfort geothermal ground source heat pumps
• 11:30 a.m. – "Living with Solar Power," Dr. Gordon Rands, department of management and marketing
• Noon – Keynote speaker Peter Schwartzman
• 1 p.m. panel discussion - "Meeting Global Environmental Challenges through Science, Technology, and Social Responsibility," Timothy Collins (moderator), Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs; Schwartzman; Amy Mossman, department of English and journalism; and Gordon Rands, management and marketing
The community partner for the 2012 summit is Waste Management, Inc.
Awards for student sustainability projects will also be given out during a reception at the West Central Illinois Regional Arts Center in downtown Macomb from 6 – 8 p.m. April 4.
For more information, visit wiu.edu/summit.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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