Event details

• Friday, April 24, 2009, 3 p.m.
• Spencer Museum of Art, 1301 Miss., KU campus, Lawrence
• Cost: Free
• Age limit: All ages

Explorer and educator Will Steger will present “Eyewitness to Global Warming” at Kansas University on Friday, April 24. Steger, who has traveled in the Arctic for more than 40 years, will present stunning photographs of the effects of climate change on the Earth at 3 p.m. in the Spencer Museum of Art auditorium. He uses compelling data and satellite imagery to show the extent of global warming at the polar ice caps. The presentation is free and open to the public. “Having traveled for 45 years in the Arctic, what I’ve seen the last 15 years is shocking,” Steger said. “We need to finally face up to the fact that we have an issue here, and we need to get back to solutions.” His presentation is not one of doom and gloom. Steger outlines readily available solutions and shows how individuals can make a difference through economically and environmentally friendly decisions. Don Steeples, senior vice provost for scholarly support, said Steger’s work complements much of the work happening at KU. "We look forward to having a polar explorer of Mr. Steger’s stature on campus for lecture and conversation,” he said. “He has indicated to me that he is eager to learn about KU's Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets, which will help host his KU visit.” KU recently began the National Science Foundation IGERT C-CHANGE program, an interdisciplinary program that trains students in science, engineering and policy. The goal is to develop leaders who will address climate change problems. In addition to being a noted explorer, Steger is an accomplished educator. A former secondary science teacher, he established the Global Center for Environmental Education at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., and the World School for Adventure Learning at University of St. Thomas. During a 1995 expedition, he reached more than 20 million students through online daily journals and the first-ever transmission of digital photos from the North Pole. World leaders have called on Steger for counsel in addressing global climate change. He has testified before Congress on the matter and has advised internationally on the environmental protection of Antarctica. In 2006, Steger founded the Will Steger Foundation to promote change through education and advocacy and to foster to international leadership and cooperation through environmental education and policy. After his presentation, the public is welcome to view two exhibitions at the Spencer Museum of Art: “Climate Change at the Poles” in the North and South Balcony Galleries and “A Greenland Glacier: The Scale of Climate Change — Photographs by Terry Evans” in the Asia Gallery II. Steger’s appearance is co-sponsored by the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets, IGERT C-CHANGE program, Spencer Museum of Art, Office of the Provost, Department of Geography and Dole Institute of Politics at KU, as well as the Will Steger Foundation.