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

[Karen Gibson]

*PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SEMINAR WILL NOW TAKE PLACE IN E40-496 on the 
4th Floor.*

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

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

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

TODAY - Friday, November 21
3:00-4:30 p.m.
Room E40-496

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 (available at the COOP). 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.

The 6:00 event in the Bush Room mentioned in an earlier email has 
been canceled.

Light refreshments will be provided.

___________________________________________________

If you would like to be added or removed from this mailing list, 
please contact Karen Gibson, kgibson at mit.edu
--
-- 
_________________________________
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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