Indiana Statesman For ISU students. About ISU students. By ISU students.
Volume 122, Issue 33
Friday, Nov. 7, 2014
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Nobel laureate speech tackles tough topics Former Secretary of Energy covers renewable energy, smoking, cancer, science
ADLER INGALSBE Reporter Nobel laureate, professor and physicist Dr. Steven Chu spoke to Indiana State University students, faculty and Terre Haute residents on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Tilson Auditorium. Chu spoke as a part of ISU’s Speaker Series. His talk was titled “Renewing our Independence through Renewable Energy: Challenges and Opportunities,” in which he discussed topics ranging from smoking to oil, from water to insurance before getting to renewable resources and impacts they do and don’t have. Smoking was popular in the 1960s, and the amount of cigarette smoke that went into people’s bodies was alarming, Chu said. “In the year 1960, the average person consumed 220 packs of cigarettes, [a statistic that also included] the nonsmokers,” Chu said. “Science can’t predict who’s going to get lung cancer and who’s not.” Science can, however, help figure out if someone does have cancer and the number of people who can get cancer from smoking. “Smoking increases the risk of getting lung cancer by 25 percent. We still can’t predict who will or won’t get lung cancer today … Lung cancer is usually not caught early; it is usually caught too late,” Chu said.
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He transitioned from smoking into renewable energy, saying that the Earth isn’t the same as it was years ago, and we don’t know what’s in our air. “The earth is changing, and we’re transitioning to better solutions. We simply don’t know the amount of [carbon dioxide] that’s been in the air for the last 50 years,” Chu said. Chu served as the 12th U.S. Secretary of Energy from 2009 to 2013 and noticed many problems the U.S. faces when it comes to renewable energy. “The increase in oil production in the U.S. is the most in any nation in the world other than three. China is projected to have one and a half the amount of natural gas compared to the United States,” Chu said. “Science is one of the most impactful ways to change the ways the country is headed when it comes to renewable energy,” Chu said. “Science and technology can and must help change the current path we are on. I’ve always been concerned about energy. I hate wasting money.” He noted that America has great solar and wind energy, but
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there are also some downfalls. “We have great solar energy in the United States, but sometimes the wind stops blowing and the sun stops shining, that hurts renewable energy. [Another downfall] is we need back up power such as gas, coal and nuclear,” Chu said. Brad Ackman, a junior business major, found Chu to be very interesting. “He came across as an interesting guy. He knew what he was talking about, and he’s won many awards on involving [ e n e r g y ] ,” Ackman said. K e l l i Buchanan, a sophomore nursing major, was impressed with the amount of data Chu presented. “The amount of information he provided with graphs and numbers really showed the problems we have with renewable energy and the opportunities we have to do a better job with it,” Buchanan said. Chu said the thing scientists need to figure out in the problem of renewable energy is time. “[Scientists] need more time for more studies,” Chu said.
“Science and technology can and must help change the current path we are on.” Dr. Steven Chu
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Nobel laureate, professor and physicist Dr. Steven Chu spoke on a number of topics, including renewable energy, cancer and how science plays a part in everyday life (Photo by Gary Macadaeg).
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