[E&S-seminars] Nov. 21 E&S Seminar "Communicating Scientific Complexity"

[Karen Gibson]

Environment and Sustainability Seminar Series
Sponsored by the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment
<http://lfee.mit.edu>

A quick reminder, please join us for a special seminar speaker:

Vijay V. Vaitheeswaran
Global Environment & Energy Correspondent for The Economist

"Communicating Scientific Complexity:
Linking Urgency to Abstraction in a Data-Shy World"

Friday, November 21
3:00-4:30 p.m.
Room E40-298

ABSTRACT
	Vijay Vaitheeswaran, energy and environment writer at The 
Economist magazine, spends his days breathing excitement into what 
most people consider a sleep-aid: scientific evidence. This 
indefatigable writer has been told a million times that Energy is 
Boring. Friends and family began to ostracize him for bringing up 
topics like the myth of hydrocarbon scarcity at dinner parties. 
Colleagues questioned his sanity when, five years ago, he turned down 
a posting in sunny Brazil for the energy job in London. Even Vijay 
himself, on more than one rainy London day, has wondered why. So he 
did the only thing he could do: he wrote a book about the future of 
energy.

	Please come and hear his tales of misadventure as he set 
about writing POWER TO THE PEOPLE. Cameo appearances by cow dung, the 
most powerful oilman in the world, and Cindy Crawford are all 
promised. Along the way, he'll reveal his insights into communicating 
complex information successfully to a general (and generally 
uninterested!) non-technical audience. He'll describe the travels, 
investigations, and analysis required to tackle a scientifically 
complex and politically charged topic. He'll explain some of the 
obstacles he overcame to write the book, not least the skepticism of 
those around him. And he'll even let you in on the secrets of writing 
for, and pitching your ideas to, The Economist.

	Vijay will also be talking to MIT alumni at 6:00 p.m. in the 
Bush room (10-105), in case you are unable to attend this seminar. 
His book is available at the COOP.

Light refreshments will be provided.
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please contact Karen Gibson, kgibson at mit.edu
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_________________________________
Karen  L. Gibson
Program Assistant
MIT Laboratory For Energy and the Environment
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E40-469
(1 Amherst St., E40-469 - for DHL and FedEx)
Cambridge, MA 02139  USA
Tel:  1 (617) 258-6368; Fax:  1 (617) 258-6590
http://lfee.mit.edu
http://globalsustainability.org
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