By Shelby Otto
Freeform Editor
The geography department at KU, along with Geography Club, Gamma Theta Upsilon (GTU), Association of Campus Events (ACE) and the KU Environmental Science Committee, will be hosting a lecture by National Geographic Explorer, TED Fellow and author of “The Secret Lives of Glaciers” Dr. M Jackson on April 15.
According to a letter written by the geography department chair, Dr. Richard Courtney, Dr. Jackson is a “geographer, glaciologist, adventurer, environmental educator and self-described STEMinisit.” The term “STEMinist” refers to women who work under the headings of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and push for the visibility of women in these disciplines.
“She’s very much an advocate for women scientists,” stated geography department secretary, Dorothy Siravo.
Jackson has published two books that detail climate change and its relationship to Earth’s glaciers. Her first is entitled “While Glaciers Slept” and her most recent, “The Secret Lives of Glaciers,” is the topic of this upcoming lecture.
She travels to different icy regions and explores the ways in which communities in places like Iceland are coping with the disappearance of the glaciers and the ways in which the effects of these changes alter the relationships between humans and glaciers.
Her book has been described as “an icy blue love story” between humans and glaciers and “an inspiring, hypnotic book” by other authors like Kim Heacox and Tim Weed.
In speaking with Siravo, she hopes that students will attend the lecture in order “to get a better perspective of how our world is reacting to climate change.”
“Dr. Jackson’s work with glaciers is a very telling instrument as to what changes are happening, and how quickly, than what they used to be,” she continued.
The event is free, open to all students and will be followed by a Q&A session with. Jackson. The lecture will start at 6 p.m. in Boehm 145. There will be two copies of “The Secret Lives of Glaciers” available through a giveaway. Students who donate non-perishable food items to the KU Bears Pantry at the event will receive a ticket for a chance to win one of the signed copies of Dr. Jackson’s book.
