Restore Our Earth: A Smith College Geology Professor's Perspective
Thursday, April 22, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
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This year is the 51st anniversary of the first Earth Day Celebration in April of 1970!
Join us live via Zoom, as we explore some of the major environmental issues that have arisen since 1970 with Smith College Professor Emeritus, Robert M. Newton, former Geology Department Chair and Director of the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability (CEEDS).
Professor Newton will provide a geologist's view of what this year's theme 'Restore the Earth,' means and will use a historical approach.
Acid Rain was a major crisis from 1970-1990. Hardly anyone talks about this today. How was this problem solved? Are there lessons that we can apply to the climate change issue that we face today?
About Robert M. Newton, Ph.D.
Professor Newton received his BA - Geology, 1970; the University of New Hampshire, his MA - Geology, State University of New York, Binghamton, 1972; and his Ph.D. - Geology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 1978. He was a Visiting Professor of Geology, Brock University, St. Catherine's, Ontario, 1976-1978. He came to Smith College in the fall of 1978 and retired in July 2020. He served several terms as Department Chair and also served for 3 years as the Director of the Center for the Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability (CEEDS).
Professor Newton's research has been primarily in the areas of hydrology and aqueous geochemistry. He participated in a number of multidisciplinary studies examining the acid rain problem, including a modeling study that was used by the EPA in setting sulfur emission standards for the reauthorization of the Clean Air Act in 1990. He was also involved in an acid rain mitigation study where they limed a lake watershed in the Adirondacks of New York State. He has also been involved in studies of mercury contamination of fish in remote watersheds from atmospheric deposition. Additional studies include the glacial history of New England. Professor Newton will be hosting a field conference next summer that will examine the nature of ice retreat across northern New England. Currently, he works with a number of regional environmental groups helping them with aquifer protection issues.
While at Smith, Professor Newton secured over $2 million in outside funding for his research. This funding came from a variety of sources, including the National Science Foundation, EPA, and the Electric Power Research Institute, among others.
Title: Restore Our Earth: A Smith College Geology Professor's Perspective
Date: Thursday, April 22, 2021
Time: 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (ET)
Limit: 100 participants
Cost: Free to Members and Non-members
You must be registered before 4:30 PM on Thursday, April 22.
The Zoom link and password details will be shared by 5:00 PM on the day prior to the event and again, two hours before the event start.