> Thinking of saving the world
Thinking of saving the world
Contact:
Carol Thorbes, PAMR, 778.782.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.4323, marianne_meadahl@sfu.ca
Carol Thorbes, PAMR, 778.782.3035, cthorbes@sfu.ca
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.4323, marianne_meadahl@sfu.ca
October 6, 2008
The stock market, global recession, climate change…they are gripping the world.
But few of us seem to be focusing on a global problem that is already sowing the seeds of our destruction.
That problem is the territory of Cary Fowler, a 2008 Simon Fraser University honorary degree recipient, known globally as an agricultural superman, and Danny Catt, a globe trotting ecologist and professional photographer. Based on what they have discovered while pursuing parallel career paths, the two SFU alumni believe that we’ll face global starvation in 30 years if we don’t get our priorities straight.
In a Philosophers’ Café staged at the SFU Burnaby campus on Wednesday, October 8, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 pm., Fowler and Catt will engage a live and a worldwide Internet audience in deciding what should be our first priority in saving the world.
After presenting their research and showing slides, the two will pose the following question. If you and your family faced massive debt and living in political turmoil now, but starvation in the future because of depleted food crops, which problem would you tackle first?
The free café is open to the public and will be held at the Interdisciplinary Research in the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Centre (IRMACS). The state of the art theatre seats more than 70 people in a multi-media environment that can bring together Internet users, including bloggers and Facebook users, to view video and engage in discussions with a live audience.
Fowler, the executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, the world’s first seed bank, will discuss his organization’s efforts to rescue up to 150,000 endangered varieties of crop seeds from extinction. Fowler will participate via a live Internet video feed.
Catt, an instructor of applied ecology and recreational land management at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, will show photographs that he has taken globally of our planet's natural beauty and environmental challenges.
Note: Internet users:
Parking: Visitor’s parking is in B Lot, west of the Applied Sciences Building. Media should proceed to the Information Kiosk on Gaglardi Way to obtain a free parking decal.
— 30 — (digital photos available on request)
But few of us seem to be focusing on a global problem that is already sowing the seeds of our destruction.
That problem is the territory of Cary Fowler, a 2008 Simon Fraser University honorary degree recipient, known globally as an agricultural superman, and Danny Catt, a globe trotting ecologist and professional photographer. Based on what they have discovered while pursuing parallel career paths, the two SFU alumni believe that we’ll face global starvation in 30 years if we don’t get our priorities straight.
In a Philosophers’ Café staged at the SFU Burnaby campus on Wednesday, October 8, 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 pm., Fowler and Catt will engage a live and a worldwide Internet audience in deciding what should be our first priority in saving the world.
After presenting their research and showing slides, the two will pose the following question. If you and your family faced massive debt and living in political turmoil now, but starvation in the future because of depleted food crops, which problem would you tackle first?
The free café is open to the public and will be held at the Interdisciplinary Research in the Mathematical and Computational Sciences Centre (IRMACS). The state of the art theatre seats more than 70 people in a multi-media environment that can bring together Internet users, including bloggers and Facebook users, to view video and engage in discussions with a live audience.
Fowler, the executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, the world’s first seed bank, will discuss his organization’s efforts to rescue up to 150,000 endangered varieties of crop seeds from extinction. Fowler will participate via a live Internet video feed.
Catt, an instructor of applied ecology and recreational land management at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, will show photographs that he has taken globally of our planet's natural beauty and environmental challenges.
Note: Internet users:
- In order to participate in this forum-style Philosophers’ Café you will need to email questions and comments to questions@irmacs.sfu.ca
- So that you can view events in real time at IRMACS, a web stream will appear at http://www.irmacs.sfu.ca/image_video/index.php. Once you’ve logged in, you will need to click on the "Live @ IRMACS" link
Parking: Visitor’s parking is in B Lot, west of the Applied Sciences Building. Media should proceed to the Information Kiosk on Gaglardi Way to obtain a free parking decal.
— 30 — (digital photos available on request)