Sept. 30 lecture to focus on scientists’ handling of tobacco smoke, global warming, other issues

Franz Brotzen
713-348-6775
franz.brotzen@rice.edu

Rice’s Humanities Research Center launches ‘Cultures of Energy’ lecture series

A new “Cultures of Energy” lecture series will debut at Rice University Sept. 30 with a presentation titled “Merchants of Doubt: How a Handful of Scientists Obscured the Truth on Issues from Tobacco Smoke to Global Warming.”

Naomi Oreskes, professor of history and science studies at the University of California, San Diego, will present the inaugural lecture at 4 p.m. in Fondren Library’s Kyle Morrow Room on the Rice campus, 6100 Main St.. For directions, go to http://www.rice.edu/maps/maps.html.

As part of Rice Provost George McLendon’s initiative on energy and the environment, the Humanities Research Center (HRC) at Rice is bringing together speakers and scholars from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences to help transform the way people see and attempt to solve energy and environmental issues.

Following the Sept. 30 Oreskes lecture, five other speakers are planned. All are free and open to the public.

• Kristin Shrader-Frechette, the O’Neill Family Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Philosophy at University of Notre Dame, will speak Nov. 10 at 5 p.m.
• Kairn Klieman, associate professor of history at the University of Houston and fall 2011 HRC External Faculty Fellow, will speak Dec. 9 at 4 p.m.
• Dale Jamieson, director of environmental studies and professor of environmental studies and philosophy and affiliated professor of law at New York University, will speak Jan. 13 at 4 p.m.
• Paul Edwards, professor of history at the University of Michigan, and Gabrielle Hecht, associate professor of history at the University of Michigan, will speak Feb. 3 at 4 p.m.
• Timothy Mitchell, professor of Middle East and Asian languages and cultures at Columbia University, will speak April 13 at 4 p.m.

For more on the Cultures of Energy: Global Economies and Local Communities initiative, go to http://hrc.rice.edu/energy/.