About our speakers!
Schedule:
6 May 2021
Markus Virta - Solar Energy
14 May 2021
Dr. Maddie Smith - Polar Sea Ice
19 May 2021
Dr. Andy Bunn - Pleistocene Park
20 May 2021
Mayor Seth Fleetwood - Bellingham Climate Policy
Markus Virta
Markus first joined Western Solar in 2010 and has since grown to manage the company’s business development, sales, and marketing efforts. As board president of the Washington Solar Energy Industries Association (WASEIA), Markus is proud to lead the Washington Solar industry’s legislative/policy efforts. Markus is passionate about fostering a balanced and affordable access to renewable energy. He values integrity and transparent business practices and he strongly believes that our community is strongest when united. Markus enjoys the nuance of technical detail and does well translating design principles to customers in a collaborative and inclusive way. Native to Bellingham, he can be found climbing, hiking, biking, skiing, playing hockey and soccer or exploring the PNW outdoors.
Markus' topic:
Solar Energy
See the Slides Here:
Dr. Maddie Smith
Maddie Smith is a Post Doctoral Scholar whose main research interest is improving the representation of sea ice in climate models. In researching climate change through sea ice, she has completed fieldwork in both the Arctic and the Antarctic. She was recently a researcher on board the summer leg of the MOSAiC expedition, studying the impact of global warming on the melt rates of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean.
Maddie received her Ph.D. in Civic and Environmental Engineering, and has a B.A. from Bowdin College in Earth & Oceanographic Studies.
Maddie is also a Sehome High School alumni, having graduated in 2010!
Maddie's topic:
Polar Sea Ice
Watch Her Talk Here!
The Atlantic article by Ross Andersen
Dr. Andy Bunn
Dr. Andy Bunn is an environmental scientist interested in climate and energy. Most of his research has to do with paleoclimate and carbon cycling.
He was the founding director of the Institute for Energy Studies which seeks to give students a thorough education in energy across science, technology, and policy.
In his free time he plays the guitar in the High Mountain String Band.
Check out his publications here!
Andy's topic:
Pleistocene Park
Learn more below:
Read about Pleistocene Park
Illustration by Kevin Tong
MAMMOTH is a film by Grant Slater featuring the founders of Pleistocene Park, Sergey and his son Nikita Zimov
Mayor Seth Fleetwood
Seth Fleetwood, Bellingham’s current mayor, has a long history of environmental activism. Some accomplishments from his career include serving as the chief proponent and architect of the Bellingham Greenways Program, publishing the Bellingham Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance, creating the Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan for Lake Whatcom, and serving as chair of the Whatcom County Climate Impact Advisory Committee.