Speakers' Bureau

The Speakers' Bureau was established in fall, 2008, creating a network of sustainability speakers on campus. The purpose of the Bureau is to spread the message of sustainability through every discipline and area of campus life.

 

Below is a list of speakers and a description of talks which they will give to your class, club or office. Contact the speakers individually or via the Sustainability Initiative.

Christopher McNulty, Associate Professor, Department of Art

 

(1) "Sustainability in contemporary art"

Over the past two decades, artists have increasingly engaged in practices that attempt to remedy or highlight human-caused damage to the landscape as well as to explore the relationship between issues of social justice and environmentalism. This presentation will provide a brief survey of the range of environmental themes and practices explored by contemporary artists.

 

(2) "Rainwater harvesting: How to make a rain barrel."

This presentation will demonstrate how to make make a rain barrel to harvest water from your house's downspouts.

Contact information: mcnulcl[AT]auburn[DOT]edu
Phone: 844-5267

 

Sushil H. Bhavnani, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering

 

"Solar Energy"

 

A brief summary of worldwide conventional energy resources, followed by examples of recent Auburn University solar energy projects.

Contact information: bhavnani[AT]eng[DOT]auburn[DOT]edu
Phone: 844-3303

Nanette E. Chadwick, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences

 

(1) "Finding and keeping Nemo: Development of sustainable fisheries for ornamental aquarium organisms on coral reefs"

(2) "Economic valuation of coral reefs for recreational tourism: What is the value of a sustainable wilderness experience underwater?"

(3) "Feed the world and lose the reefs? The politics of aquaculture pollution near coral reefs"

 

These talks focus on aspects of sustainable use of marine resources, in particular on the world's coral reefs. They explore case studies of the application of scientific research to support the development of sustainable fisheries, ecotourism, and aquaculture. These processes affect our society in terms of the fish we eat, the critters we purchase to populate home and public aquaria, and the activities we chose to pursue during seaside vacations. On a wider scale, these talks are designed to educate students and organizations about issues facing our use of ornamental marine organisms in public aquariums and zoos, conflicts in coastal resource use, and how science interfaces with economics and politics in our use of the world's oceans.

Contact information: chadwna[AT]auburn[DOT]edu
Phone: 844-8184