While some may view the ever-increasing energy appetite of an ever-growing global population with gloom and alarm, a guest lecturer from the University of Notre Dame shared a more optimistic take Tuesday on meeting that societal demand (and solving such attendant issues of air quality and energy storage). Edward J. Maginn presented “
Energy 101” as part of Penn College’s Technology & Society Colloquia Series, appearing through an ongoing partnership between the college and the Notre Dame Club of Greater Williamsport. In a 50-minute presentation that was as informative and accessible as its title implies, Maginn was upbeat in balancing current fuel sources and the magnitude of their consumption with the human and technological wherewithal to ensure sufficient supply for decades to come. Not that the work will be easy. As investment in energy solutions trails other economic sectors – health care and defense, among them – Maginn said, "We need more people and resources to address this." And while detailing the exciting research being done at his home campus, Maginn enlisted his Penn College audience as colleagues in the challenging fight. "Your generation is going to have to fix this," he told students, bolstered by what he saw earlier in the day during tours of automotive and HVAC labs. "We're up to the challenge, but we have to believe that we can fix it. Do we have the will?" A full-length video of the Klump Academic Center Auditorium presentation will be available soon on the college’s YouTube channel.
– Photos by Jennifer A. Cline, writer/magazine editor
The speaker responds to a student’s question about the potential for solar-powered vehicles.
A dialogue with the audience
Among those seeking expertise after the talk are Tom Anderson, the college’s coordinator of WEDnetPA information technology services, and Robert B. Becker, an electrical technology student from Reading.
Students and employees alike listen to the scholar’s insight during a post-lecture opportunity for conversation in Wrapture.
Edward J. Maginn, Dorini Family professor of energy studies at Notre Dame University, walks his audience through sources, usage and challenges in providing for the world’s energy demands.
Engaged students fill the audience of nearly 200.
Maginn shares a look at how research funds are invested and suggests prioritizing energy exploration.
