JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 28, 2010 — Energy sustainability and stewardship will be the topic for the next Town and Gown series at Union University from Oct. 5-Nov. 2.
The Town and Gown series is an opportunity for community members interested in various topics to attend lectures and participate in discussions in a classroom setting. The classes are free and open to the public.
“Energy sustainability may be used a lot these days to tie environmental issues to practically everything we do every day at home, at work, in academia, in industry or in government,” said Don Van, professor of engineering at Union. “In this Town and Gown series, we will address the issues of energy sustainability and stewardship at a very practical level, aiming at the general public.
“The public must be on board for the noble goal of sustainability to be accomplished,” Van continued. “We believe education such as the one offered by this series is the essential beginning.”
The schedule for the series is:
- Oct. 5, 6 p.m.,“Biofuels for Energy Stewardship,” with Beth Madison, assistant professor of science in Union’s continuing studies department; 8 p.m., “Economic Considerations of Renewable Energy,” with Michael Hayes, senior fellow in the Edward P. Hammons Center for Scientific Studies and visiting professor of chemistry.
- Oct. 12, 6 p.m., “Solar Energy,” with William Miller, research professor in the mechanical engineering department at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville; 8 p.m., “Nuclear Power and Policy,” with Bill Nettles, physics professor at Union.
- Oct. 20, 6 p.m., “The Gulf Oil Spill – Technology, Policy, Energy Education,” with William McDonald, president of EnerPro, and Lloyd Hansen, owner of Nortek Inc.; 8 p.m., “Reverse Energy Generation,” with Van.
- Oct. 26, 6 p.m., “Energy Policy and Perspective,” with Sean Evans, associate professor of political science at Union; 8 p.m., “Christian Ethics and Energy Stewardship” with C. Ben Mitchell, Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy at Union.
- Nov. 2, 6 p.m., “Recycling and Practical Energy Conservation,” with Vaughn Cassidy, recycling coordinator at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.
All classes, with the exception of the Oct. 20 sessions, will be held in room D-3 in the Penick Academic Complex. The Oct. 20 classes will meet in the Carl Grant Events Center.
For more information, call Van at (731) 661-5534.