Environmentalist Pete Murdoch to Speak at Landmark College
The 30th Landmark College Speaker Series event, “Re-inventing Thoreau: Evolving Science to Support a Sustainable Future,” will be held on February 23, 2015. (Please note: this event has been rescheduled from February 9 to February 23 due to weather.)
Presenter Pete Murdoch is an expert in the field of aquatic systems and works as a Research Hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) agency in Troy, New York. Murdoch will speak at 7 p.m. in the Brooks M. O’Brien Auditorium in the East Academic Building at Landmark College. The event is free, accessible, and open to the public.
Murdoch has studied the environment for over thirty years and is the author of more than 100 scientific reports and publications. In his role at the USGS, Murdoch’s work in the Adirondacks of New York influenced Midwest smokestack regulations, and his current research on permafrost degradation in the Arctic has the potential to influence climate policy. He will present “Re-inventing Thoreau: Evolving Science to Support a Sustainable Future."
Longtime friend Geoff Burgess, associate professor at Landmark College, commented that Murdoch will bring a unique perspective as both a scientist and Washington policy adviser. “While many people focus on political gridlock as an impediment to dealing with climate change,” said Burgess, “Pete advocates for new approaches by the science community so as to strengthen climate change policies.”
Chair of the Landmark College Natural Sciences Department Abigail Littlefield commented on the importance of Murdoch’s work to mobilize greater environmental consciousness: “We are in the middle of an environmental crisis in our world. In daily life, we may not realize our impact on the earth’s future. Each and every one of us needs to change—Murdoch has been doing just that.”
Murdoch’s talk is the latest in a series of environmental events at Landmark College. Expert speakers have included Bill McKibben, Seth Itzkan, and faculty members Dr. Andrew Stein of Landmark College and Dr. Christopher Tripler of Endicott College. To spark talk about climate change, Landmark College Students co-hosted Green Week and Power Shift Vermont 2014 with the Vermont Student Climate Coalition (VSCC). VSCC is a “growing coalition of student environmental activists working towards social, economic, & environmental justice across the state of Vermont.”
The mission of the Landmark College Academic Speaker Series is to “promote the College's intellectual environment and facilitate discussion of important issues for the community.”
Landmark College was the first institution of higher learning to pioneer college-level studies for students with dyslexia. Today, Landmark College is a global leader in integrated teaching methods for students with learning disabilities (including dyslexia), ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The College offers two- and four-year degree options, a graduate-level certificate in universal design with technology integration, and summer programs for students who learn differently. Students, faculty, and professionals from around the world are drawn to Landmark College for its innovative educational model, designed through research and practice to help all students become confident, empowered, and independently successful learners.