Whitman College has just released a new lecture series called “Perspectives on Conservation” in which Whitman professors will address and start a dialogue about various conservation issues.
Bob Carson, professor of geology and environmental studies, gave the first lecture Wednesday, Feb. 16 entitled “Conserve What and Why?” Don Snow, senior lecturer of environmental humanities, will give the next lecture, “From National Parks to Private Land Trusts: An Evolution of Land Conservation Strategies in the U.S.”, on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m.
The lecture series was originally supposed to be monthly, but there was such great interest from Whitman professors that there are now seven lectures in all. Other professors lecturing include Assistant Professors of Biology Kate Jackson and Tim Parker, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies Kari Norgard and Carl E. Peterson Endowed Chair of Sciences and Professor of Biology Paul Yancey.
Senior Nat Clarke, one of the Campus Sustainability Coordinators along with fellow senior Ari Frink, organized this lecture series. Clarke notes that the professors do a good job of making their conservation issues directly applicable to Whitman.
“I planned the lecture series as means of starting a dialogue on conservation topics on campus,” said Clarke. “Many of the lecture topics could seem distant or peripheral, but if you hear your professor tell you about threats to biodiversity from strip mining in the Congolese rain forest, or their work fighting coral extinction, these issues are suddenly much closer.”
Clarke notes that the Whitman professors who will serve as the lecturers are incredibly knowledgeable about their topics regarding conservation.
“The goal of the series is to share knowledge and raise awareness of both the issues being discussed in the series as well as the phenomenal research and expertise of the lecturers. We have a tremendous faculty at Whitman, and they have far more knowledge to impart to us than what can be conveyed in the classroom,” Clarke said.
Snow, the next faculty member to give a lecture for the series, sees these lectures as an excellent way to foster discussion of important issues.
“[This lecture series is important because] this is really good environmental school, and it can become a much better one if we keep insisting on expanding the sphere of discussion, conceptually, intellectually and spiritually, as we consciously aim to make environmental awareness, thinking and even healthy uncertainty more inclusive,” said Snow.
Snow hopes that eventually students will be able to present at this lecture series.
“I love the idea that this series may start a ball that could roll for years. I would love to help find a way to bring student speakers to the ‘lecterns’ as well: perhaps operating in Perry Grant fashion of student-professor teams of two or three,” he said.
In the first lecture of the series, Carson addressed ecosystems and energy–his two conservation priorities. He discussed his views on conservation of fossil fuels, as well.
“I want to conserve fossil fuels not because we are slowly running out of them, but because I think we should stop using them period: number one because of global climate change, and number two because we need them for other things like lubricants, pharmaceuticals and plastics,” said Carson.
In order to fix our reliance on fossil fuels, Carson said that it is necessary to focus on a mix of alternative energies. He hopes that there will be more of a focus on oceans, including offshore wind farms, wave energy and current turbines.
Carson is looking forward to the rest of the lecture series because he thinks that there should be more learning outside of the classroom, which is exactly what these lectures encourage.
The lecture series in funded by the Sustainability Advisory Committee and Campus Greens.
