Philip L. Taylor, Ph.D. – Distinguished University Professor and Perkins Professor of Physics Emeritus

Dear Colleagues:

The mild summer and balmy fall that Cleveland experienced this year may have lulled us into dangerous complacency about our changing climate. Other parts of the nation have experienced horrific droughts and floods. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reported 23 extreme weather events in the U.S. just this year, each costing more than $1b, with a total cost exceeding $50 bn. Global temperatures have broken all records every month since June.

Why are we in this crisis, and what can we do about it? Few people could be as qualified as Phil Taylor to address these questions. A nuclear physicist and one of the most eminent scholars on campus, he founded a (continuing) course on Energy and Society in the mid-1970s. He writes that:

“We will start by understanding just how carbon dioxide manages its evil magic of baking the Earth as soon as too much of it gets into the atmosphere. Then we will examine some of the suggestions that have been made to help us out of this pickle. Maybe we will find one or two tricks that might help us if we take the whole problem seriously enough. The alternative is a world of appalling misery and suffering, but there is still room for optimism if we can agree to work together.”

In-Person and Virtual Attendance

In order to make it easy for people to protect themselves and still participate, the meetings can be attended on Zoom. Participants can register for the meeting using the link posted below.

The discussion begins at 12:30 p.m., but the room should be open no later than Noon. We try to have beverages and refreshments set up soon after that. Participants should be able to sign on to Zoom also by Noon. But please remember not much will be happening online until the talk begins at 12:30 pm. Please also be prepared to show identification when entering Kelvin Smith Library.

Zoom participants should speak up when asked for questions or comments, or submit thoughts through Zoom’s chat function. Please keep yourself muted until you are choosing to speak.

Each week we will send out this newsletter with information about the topic. It will also include a link to register (for free) for the discussion. When you register, you will automatically receive from the Zoom system the link to join the meeting. If you do not get the newsletter, you should also be able to get the information each Monday by checking http://fridaylunch.case.edu Then if you choose you can use the contact form on that website to request the registration link.

This week’s Zoom link for registration is:

https://cwru.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIucOmrrTsuHNGuKNY-OywDYbbpGXv6RF3V

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Please also e-mail padg@case.edu if you have questions about arrangements or any suggestions. Or call at 216 368-2426 and we’ll try to get back to you. We are very pleased to be partnering this semester with the Siegal Lifelong Learning Program to share information about the discussions.

Please Note:

This will be the final “Friday Lunch” of 2023. We will resume on January 19, 2024. I hope you all have safe, healthy and happy holidays.

Best wishes for a joyful New Year,

Joe White
Luxenberg Family Professor of Public Policy and Director, Center for Policy Studies 

About Our Guest

Phil Taylor has received essentially every honor the university could offer a member of the faculty, including appointment as a Distinguished University Professor and the Frank and Dorothy Humel Hovorka award for exceptional achievements in teaching, research and scholarly service. His research on the theoretical physics of condensed matter has led to having four physical phenomena and models named for him. He has mentored more than 50 doctoral and postdoctoral students, worked with colleagues across the university to develop an interdisciplinary seminar on Energy and Society, and with his wife Sara been a longtime pioneer of environmentally responsible living in Ohio, and been a leading advocate within the Physics community for activism on climate change.

* Kelvin Smith Library requires all entrants to show identification when entering the building, unless they have a university i.d. that they can magnetically scan. We are sorry if that seems like a hassle, but it has been Library policy for a while in response to security concerns. Please do not complain to the library staff at the entrance, who are just doing their jobs.