Join us for a taste of climate change, as we hear from two local scientists about their research!
Arctic meltdown? A polar geologist’s perspective on climate change
Yarrow Axford, Northwestern University
“Earth’s climate has always changed.” This statement is true, but should it be comforting? Dr. Yarrow Axford will provide a quick overview of some current changes in the Arctic and why they matter for the rest of the world. Then, drawing upon her own research involving more than fifteen expeditions to remote northern study sites, she will share how reconstructions of past conditions shape her perspective on current and future climate change.
Coping with a changed future
Elisabeth Moyer, University of Chicago
Climate is already changing and will continue to do so. What can we expect and how might those changes affect human activities? Liz Moyer, Associate Professor in the Dept. of the Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago and co-director of the University’s Center for Robust Decision-making on Climate and Energy Policy, will draw from her research to describe features of predicted future climate and to show how they result from simple physics. She will also discuss the constraints that make altering our future difficult -- CO2 is the waste product of our current energy system, but energy is the foundation of the human economy. There are however possible pathways for reducing emissions; this talk is intended to show how simple physical frameworks and back-of- the-envelope calculations can provide core insights into policy choices.
Event information:
- Drinks and food will be available for purchase
- In the event of any last-minute event cancellations, we will post an announcement on our TOS Chicago webpage, Facebook, and Twitter
- If you are interested in volunteering for any of our events, please email us at chicago@tasteofscience.org