The 2016 UA College of Science lecture series will focus on global climate change.
“Earth Transformed,” an examination of global climate change, is the theme of the 2016 University of Arizona College of Science lecture series that begins Monday, Jan. 25.
In its 11th year, the free six-lecture series fills Centennial Hall and is broadcast to an overflow auditorium, Social Sciences 100. The lectures are live streamed by Arizona Public Media On Demand.
“We did global climate change 10 years ago and at that point there was still humongous debates about whether global climate change was really manmade. Even though some people believe that, that’s not the case. We thought it would be a good time to do it again and then the Paris (climate) talks, made it even more timely,” said College of Science Dean Joaquin Ruiz.
Ruiz said he assembled a committee 10 years ago to plan the first lecture series and the group has stayed with him in the ensuing years.
Geosciences and planetary sciences associate professor Joellen Russell, an oceanographer, will lead off Earth Transformed, discussing the ocean’s role in climate.
Here is the remainder of the schedule:
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Feb. 1, David Battisti, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington, climate change and global food security.
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Feb. 8, Russell Monson, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UA, ecosystem resilience – how recent trends in land use and climate warming affect the ecosystem.
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Feb. 22, Kacey Ernst, associate professor of public health at UA, climate change and human health impacts, including heat-related mortality and infectious disease transmission.
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Feb. 29, Kimberly Ogden, professor of chemical and environmental engineering at UA, carbon-capturing technologies and methods of reducing carbon emissions
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March 7, Jonathan Overpeck, professor of geosciences and atmospheric sciences, a focus on what Arizona can do to adapt to climate change.
New to the science series is the opportunity for UA students to meet with the lecturers after their talks and discuss their research. Students will watch the science lectures from a classroom building on campus.
The lecturers also will have a conversation with Ruiz the Friday before each of their lectures on Arizona Science, a weekly conversation that airs during Science Friday on NPR 89.1.
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