Charles Weschler of the Environmental & Occupational Health Science Institute and the International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Technical University of Denmark will present the 2019 Hopke Distinguished Lecture, March 8, at 3 p.m. in Clarkson’s B.H. Snell Hall 213. A reception will follow. The lecture is titled “It’s Happening All Around Us: the Chemistry that Occurs in Our Homes, Schools and Offices.” Weschler will speak about man-made chemicals and how they can interact, generating other chemicals that would not otherwise be present, and how we can understand the processes that transform relatively benign chemicals into ones that are responsible for bad smells, irritation, and poor health.
Weschler is a well-known scientist who conducts research on chemicals in indoor air, their sources and transformations; human exposure to these pollutants. He has served as a member of the EPA’s Science Advisory Board and was the member of four National Academy of Science’s committees. He was elected to the International Academy of Indoor Air Sciences in 1999 and received their highest honor award in 2014.
The Hopke Lecture is supported by the Philip K. and Eleanor F. Hopke Endowment for the Institute for a Sustainable Environment (ISE). Philip and Eleanor Hopke have been contributors to the Clarkson community since 1989. The goal of the Hopke Lecture series is to continue Dr. Hopke’s tradition of making significant technical contributions to the fields of air quality, aerosol science, and atmospheric chemistry, as well as use scientific and technical knowledge to guide public policy decisions at the highest levels of government. In honor of Professor Hopke’s work, the annual Hopke Lecture features distinguished researchers who have significantly contributed to our understanding of the environment and have used this scientific understanding to guide policy. The Hopke Lecture series intends to stimulate interest in environmental research and motivate the participation of scientists in public policy.