Nobel Laureate to speak at 2010 Graduate Research Symposium

Andrew Weaver will be the keynote speaker for the 2010 Graduate Student Assembly's 26th Annual Research Symposium.

Weaver will speak on Wednesday, March 24 at 7 p.m. in the Graduate Life Center Auditorium. His presentation is titled, “Communicating Science – Why It Matters and How To Do It”.

Weaver was a lead author in the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This panel shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with former vice president, Al Gore. Weaver is a professor and climate research chair in the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of Victoria, in British Columbia, Canada.

“Dr. Weaver’s visit provides a unique and very timely opportunity for Virginia Tech graduate students to discuss the hotly debated subject of climate change with one of the foremost authorities in the world,” said Karen P. DePauw, vice president and dean of graduate education at Virginia Tech.

Weaver’s presentation, followed by the awards reception, will conclude the 2010 Graduate Student Assembly’s research symposium. Graduate students, and advanced undergraduates, will present research throughout Wednesday, March 24. After Weaver’s presentation, awards will be given to symposium participants in the following presentation categories: oral, poster, video, and performance.

Weaver has authored or co-authored, more than 200 books, chapters, and journal articles. He is published in many academic journals such as Nature Geoscience, Journal of Physical Oceanography, Journal of Climate, and the Journal of Human Evolution. Weaver is an editor emeritus of the Journal of Climate. His most recent book, published in 2009, is titled, Keeping Our Cool: Canada in a Warming World.

Weaver is a faculty member with the Climate Modeling Lab Group at the University of Victoria. The group is involved in modeling and analysis of past, present and future climate primarily using their locally developed comprehensive Earth System Climate Model, known internationally as the “Uvic Coupled Model”.

Weaver’s presentation is free and open to the public. Free parking is available in the Squires Lot, located at the corner of College Avenue and Otey Street, or the Architecture Annex Lot also on Otey Street. Parking meters within the Squires Lot will need to be paid. Find more parking information online or call (540) 231-3200.