Energy Conference at C.W. Post November 14

When the lights went out on August 14, residents up and down the East Coast confronted their acute dependence on electricity. On Friday, November 14, 2003 the Honors Program at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville will explore the many forms of energy during an "Energy Conference" from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and will take place in various academic buildings on campus.

While the name of the conference conjures up thoughts of electricity, gasoline prices and nuclear power, this event will take a much broader look at energy. More than 20 lectures, workshops and student forums will explore everything from drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to American Transcendentalism and Luminism. Sessions include Energy of the Soul; The Power of Environmental Activism; The Energy of Cultural Survival; The Daily Grind: Women and Work in Africa; The Energy of Foods and Other Concepts in Nutrition; and The World Trade Organization: A Threat to Humanity.

"There are some very exciting sessions planned," says Dr. Joan Digby, director of the Honors Program and the conference’s coordinator. "Presenters are going to take a look at everything from self-defense to spirituality. We will interpret energy from the practical to the creative."

In "Sugar Blues," a student forum will examine the role sugar plays in cravings and emotions, while participants in "Electric/Magnetic/Metaphor: An Interactive Writing Workshop" will look at the power a metaphor has to articulate, communicate and transform human experience. "800,000 Books and Darkness" will look at the life of Argentinean poet Jorge Luis Borges, who was given charge of the National Library of Buenos Aires as he was losing his sight. There will be workshops on karate and Aikido, and a Drumming Circle/African Dance Workshop will demonstrate the power of sounds and rhythm to energize society. The day will finish up with pick-up games of basketball, volleyball and water polo.

Several sessions will explore more traditional notions of energy, including a LIPA presentation on solar and wind power, and sessions on energy markets and nuclear energy. There will even be a session on "Chemical Energy in Our Daily Lives" and one on "Energy and Water: A World in Crisis."

This year’s conference builds on the success of the "War and Peace" conference sponsored by the C.W. Post Honors Program in 2002.

"This year, I wanted something that was upbeat and relevant. That’s why we will be thinking about solar and wind energy in addition to fossil fuels, " says Dr. Digby. "And since the Pratt Recreation Center opened last year on our campus, I wanted to explore the idea of physical energy."

A panel discussion titled "Confronting the Energy Challenge" will showcase the expertise of several participants who include Dr. David Sprintzen and Dr. Scott Carlin, co-directors of The Institute of Sustainable Development at Long Island University; Kathleen Whitley, project coordinator of the Sustainable Energy Alliance; Professor Matthew Cordaro, a nationally renowned energy expert who heads C.W. Post’s Center of Management Analysis; and Fred McEwan, executive director of ASONAR Group and a board member of the Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Professors, staff members, students and a LIPA representative will lead the sessions, which will continue throughout the day. Students from the Honors Program will participate in various sessions throughout the day, and several will give presentations.

"I like this format because students get to engage in different workshops on related ideas and are able to cross-reference," says Digby. "This is a theme that they can link across disciplines."

For more information and a schedule of events contact Dr. Joan Digby at 516-299-2480 or email joan.digby@liu.edu.