University Lecture Series

Monday, April 16th - LAST LECTURE
4:30pm – Adamson Wing, 136A Baker Hall
Seven Scholarly Virtues
Peter Lee, Vice Provost for Research and Professor of Computer Science

In this lecture, I will give the last review of some of the lessons learned in my work as a researcher, teacher, and administrator. Some of these lessons are, of course, of a technical or scientific nature. While I will explain some of this, it won't be my focus here. Instead, I will try to explain the virtues in academic life that have helped me maintain a daily sense of joy in my work, despite the often rough-and-tumble experience of working in the "big leagues" of Carnegie Mellon.

Tuesday, April 24th
URBAN FARMING
This is the last in a series of four lectures on Urban Farming—Reconnecting Our Farms, Food, and Community
5:30pm – Rangos 1&2, University Center

High Tunnel Technology—a Tool for Economic Development, Job Creation, and Increased Quality of Life through Urban Agriculture
Dr. William James Lamont, Jr., Professor, Department of Horticulture, Penn State University
Co-sponsored by the Urban Farming Initiative

High tunnels are one of the components of season extension technology. They are not conventional greenhouses, but like plastic-covered greenhouses, they are generally quonset-shaped, constructed of metal bows that are attached to metal posts which have been driven into the ground about two feet deep. They are covered with one layer of 6-mil greenhouse-grade polyethylene, and are ventilated by manually rolling up the sides each morning and rolling them down in early evening. There is no permanent heating system although it is advisable to have a standby portable propane unit to protect against unexpected below-freezing temperatures. There are no electrical connections. The only external connection is a water supply for trickle irrigation. They are used to extend the growing season and a high tunnel without any supplemental heat in Pennsylvania can produce crops from March until early December. Since 1998, and the founding of the High Tunnel Research and Education Facility at Penn State, a wide variety of vegetables, small fruits and cut flowers have been successfully grown in high tunnels. Crops are either grown in permanent raised wood framed beds or in ground using plastic mulch to warm the soil and help control the weeds. In the urban environment, due to the high levels of heavy metals in the soils the use of raised beds with new soil is practiced. High tunnels offer the opportunity to take vacant land in urban environments and create jobs while ensuring a continuous supply of nutritious vegetables and small fruits and cut flowers that can be marketed to the local communities or to restaurants, farmer markets and other retail outlets. These activities will increase the quality of life in those communities and offer entrepreneurial opportunities and careers in all phases of urban agriculture.

Thursday, April 26th
4:30pm – Adamson Wing, 136A Baker Hall
Social Solutions to Poverty
Scott Myers-Lipton, Associate Professor, San José State University, Community Change Concentration
http://www.solvingpoverty.com
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