This event is part of iSEE's three-part fall lecture series: "Where Stuff Comes From: Earth's Resources & Sustainability," presented by Prof. Emeritus Stephen Marshak.
Event summary: Did you ever wonder where the concrete in a sidewalk, the asphalt in a highway, the brick in a building, or the glass in a window come from? All are derivatives of rocks and sediments, processed in ways that allow the cities of modern society to exist. But use of these materials comes at a cost to the environment, and supplies of some are not sustainable.
Series description: Society uses an immense variety of materials that come from the Earth itself. In this lecture series, we examine some of these materials: How did they come into existence in or on our planet? How are they found and extracted? How do people transform them into useable forms? What are the environmental sustainability issues associated with resource extraction and use?
Prof. Emeritus Stephen Marshak was on the faculty at the University of Illinois for 35 years. He has served as Geology Department Head and as School of Earth, Society & Environment Director. His research in structural geology and tectonics, and his interest in geologic photography, have taken him to all seven continents.
