Tuesday, Dec. 1 at 5:30 p.m. — RUTLAND — As you watch the sun set earlier every day, come to the GMP Energy Innovation Center on Dec. 1 to hear Dr. Jean-Sebastien Gagnon of the Community College of Vermont give a truly fascinating glimpse into the power of the sun and its global impact on humankind, past and future. “The Power of the Sun” is a free public event beginning at 5:30 p.m.. Light refreshments will be served.
Gagnon will explain the source of the sun’s tremendous energy and the key role it has played from the origin of life on Earth to solar sail-powered spacecrafts and Dyson spheres – not to mention powering Rutland homes and businesses with clean energy!
Gagnon is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and BICHOSS group member (part of the Origins of Life Initiative), where he is applying his expertise to the understanding of chemical systems that mimic some aspects of living organisms. Gagnon received his Ph.D. in theoretical high-energy physics from McGill University in 2007, his M.S. in physics from McGill in 2001, and his B.S. in physics from Laval University in 1999. Gagnon will be teaching CCV’s Astronomy course in the spring, and Physics I next summer.
The GMP College Connections is a monthly lecture series created as part of an agreement between GMP and all four Rutland County colleges to work together to bolster economic, educational and community development. Talks are authored and presented by faculty from each of the institutions. The presentations explore a variety of energy issues, including the science of energy, renewable power, financial concerns and the psychology of energy use. All talks held at GMP’s Energy Innovation Center in Rutland the first Tuesday of the month (Oct-May).
In addition to Community College of Vermont (CCV), the other participating schools are Green Mountain College, College of St. Joseph and Castleton University.
The Energy Innovation Center is located at 68 Merchants Row, Rutland. For more information on the series contact gerri.harrison@greenmountainpower.com.
