Concordia professors inspire college students
Students at Marianopolis College got to experience first-hand what it’s like to attend class at Concordia through a special lecture series held this spring. Concordia professors James Grant and Sheldon Williamson gave up their lunch hours to bring their expertise to students eager to learn more about what kind of sustainable research is going on at Concordia.
For Williamson, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the talk represented an opportunity to discuss the timely topic of electric vehicles in terms of global energy concerns.
“Shortage of petroleum is considered as one of the most critical worldwide issues today. At the same time, car owners spend more money at the gas station than ever before. The most practical solution to the oil crisis problems lies in commercially available electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles” says Williamson, who was happy to share his views with an engaged audience of potential future electrical engineers at Marianopolis.
Grant, professor in the Department of Biology, used his afternoon at Marianopolis to take a closer look at what is arguably the most important challenge for humanity: achieving sustainability. However, cautions Grant, “the concept of sustainability suffers from overuse and poor definition. It’s important that students at the cegep level understand more about the place of humans in the natural world and that scientists explain why biodiversity is important for human well-being.”
This marks the fourth year that Concordia and Marianopolis have teamed up for a special lecture series showcasing the work of the university’s professors. More lectures are planned for the fall.
Related links:
• Jim Grant’s lecture
• Sheldon Williamson’s lecture
• Marianopolis College