PRESQUE ISLE — The University of Maine at Presque Isle is pleased to present Dr. Klaus Lackner — the Ewing-Worzel professor of geophysics at Columbia University, chair of the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering and the director of the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy at the Earth Institute at Columbia University — as its first Distinguished Lecturer of the Spring 2010 semester.
Lackner will deliver his talk “Innovations in Sustainable Energy: Capturing Carbon Dioxide Directly from the Air” on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m. in the UMPI Campus Center. A snow date has been set for Friday, Feb. 12. During his talk, Lackner will give an overview of the environmental challenges facing our world, the importance of carbon dioxide capture and sequestration, and the budding technology behind the capture of carbon dioxide from ambient air using ionic exchange resins in the form of artificial trees.
He received his Ph.D. in 1978 in theoretical physics from the University of Heidelberg, Germany. After postdoctoral positions at Caltech and Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, he joined Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1983, where he held various positions including acting associate director of strategic and supporting research until 2001.
Presently, he is developing innovative approaches to energy issues of the future, focusing on environmentally acceptable technologies for the use of fossil fuels, which include the use of tracers in geological carbon storage, power plant modeling, carbon capture membranes for use at high temperatures, gravitational carbon storage, advanced fossil fuel technologies, and scaling and automation, among others.
Lackner has been instrumental in forming the Zero Emission Coal Alliance which is an industry-led effort to develop coal power with zero emissions to the atmosphere. He pioneered the concept of carbon dioxide air capture as a means for abating emissions of fossil carbon to the atmosphere. He has co-founded Global Research Technologies in Tucson, Ariz., and leads a team in designing and producing a prototype machine that mimics trees in taking CO2 out of the atmosphere. After sequestering the carbon dioxide, the machine releases it and turns the CO2 into a liquid that can be stored and managed.
Carbon footprint reduction and renewable energy have become increasingly important issues for the University. In 2007, UMPI President Don Zillman joined the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, an effort to move campuses across the United States toward carbon neutrality. Last May, the University commissioned its 600 kW wind turbine — the first mid-size wind turbine to be installed on a University campus in the state of Maine.
Lackner’s lecture at UMPI is free and the public is invited to be a part of this special evening. For more information, contact the University’s Media Relations Office at 768-9452.
The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Faculty Noon Seminar Series returns for the spring 2010 semester with presentations on First Nations’ students, student-led teaching models, the challenges ahead for higher education and the connection between capitalism and zombies.
Seminars will be held on Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 p.m. in the Normal Hall Faculty Lounge. Presentations will be 20-30 minutes in length, followed by a discussion. Those attending are welcome to bring their lunches and join in the discussion.
The series kicked off with a presentation on Jan. 28 by Dr. JoAnne Putnam titled “Native American and First Nations: Cultural Context and Student Success.” According to Putnam, national data show that students from ethnic minorities are less likely to succeed academically and are overrepresented in special education in the nation’s schools. In Maine, the percent of Native Americans with special needs (28.5 percent) is about double the national average. Putnam explained the multifaceted reasons for this disproportionality, which include cultural and sociopolitical dimensions. She explored strategies for providing culturally responsive curriculum and instruction during her presentation.
On Feb. 11, Dr. Bonnie Wood will present “Serendipity: Student-Led Teaching Models.” Wood will discuss how she stumbled upon a teaching method that has become the foundation of her biology and genetics courses and has led her to deliver presentations on the subject at national conferences and to publish her book “Lecture-Free Teaching: A Learning Partnership Between Science Educators and their Students,” published in 2009 by National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Press.
On March 11, Dr. Tomasz Herzog will deliver his presentation “University at the Crossroads: Hopes and Challenges for Higher Education.” Herzog’s talk will focus on the unprecedented changes affecting higher education due to the recent economic crisis. With the future of higher education at stake, Herzog will argue for a reexamination of the role of the University in its mission to remain a vital contributor to democracy and not fall prey to the forces of market-driven discourse.
On April 29, Dr. Ray Rice will present “Capitalism and Schizophrenia: Or Why Zombies are Radicals and Vampires are Neo-cons.” Part of a book-length project, Rice’s presentation examines how two popular horror film genres embody conflicting ideological positions within contemporary American culture.
The purpose of the Faculty Noon Seminar Series is to foster awareness of research and teaching activities taking place on campus and to provide a forum for dissemination between faculty members. The series also offers the opportunity to network and encourage trans-disciplinary scholarly activity. As a campus-wide forum, students, faculty and administrative staff are invited to present their work during the seminar series.
For more information about the Faculty Noon Seminar Series, contact Lynn Eldershaw at 768-9749.
