Join Highland Community College at the 2018 Boyer Colloquium on March 13 at 7 p.m. as guest speaker, Donald J. Wuebbles, Ph.D., presents “The 4th National Climate Assessment: This is Important and Not Fake News,” at the Highland Community College Student/Conference Center, room H-201, 2998 W. Pearl City Rd., Freeport. Ill. A less formal, student-centered presentation is on March 14 at 9 a.m. at Highland Community College, Natural Science, and Health Center, room N-107.
The colloquium’s guest speaker, Dr. Wuebbles will discuss the “Climate Science Special Report,” which provides scientific evidence of the changes occurring in the earth’s climate system, with a special focus on the United States. Attendees will learn the facts and data indicating that climate change is a serious concern mostly driven by human activities. The research was developed as required by Congress and the first volume was released after governmental approval.
Dr. Wuebbles is the Harry E. Preble Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois and a University of Illinois Presidential Fellow. He has co-authored international and national scientific assessments, including international climate assessments led by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which resulted in IPCC being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He is an expert in atmospheric physics and chemistry, with more than 500 scientific publications related to the Earth’s climate, air quality, and the stratospheric ozone layer.
The Boyer Colloquium, an annual event sponsored by the late Dr. M.E. Boyer, was created in 1994, to help students and communities understand the importance of the inter-relationships between ethics, economics, and ecology. The Boyer Colloquium Committee believes that if communities comprehend issues, the history of previous decisions and ramifications of prior actions, they will be better positioned to make informed decisions.
Both programs are free and open to the public. For more information about this year’s Boyer Colloquium visit highland.edu or contact Steve Simpson, Earth Science instructor at steve.simpson@highland.edu.