Earth Science and Society Spring 2026 Seminar Series Information

Student workshops and discussion follow the lectures: 12:00-12:40 pm

Students: Get credit by registering for GEO 4990 (SUS) CRN 33138, 2 credits

Tentative Seminar Series Schedule

Speakers and topics will be posted as they are confirmed, and are subject to change due to cancellations or other rescheduling needs.

Date		Topic or Title
Part I: Course Introduction
Jan 9	Dr. Carie Frantz Associate Professor Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Weber State University	Course introduction: Earth science and society
Jan 16	Rick Black Principal Scientist; Ecology and Planning Lead SLR Consulting	The Utah regulatory landscape
Part II: Operation Gigawatt and Nuclear Energy
Jan 23	Michael Vanden Berg Energy and Minerals Program Manager Senior Geologist Utah Geological Survey	Operation Gigawatt and energy in Utah
Jan 30	TBD	Achieving net-zero: Local efforts
Feb 6	Dr. Jessica Lovering Nuclear Policy Researcher Uppsala University Nuclear Power to the People	The role of nuclear energy in a carbon-neutral future
Feb 13	TBD	New technology: All about small, modular nuclear reactors (SMRs)
Feb 20	Lexi Tuddenham Executive Director HEAL Utah	Nuclear energy opposition
Part III: Science of the Environmental Concerns
Feb 27	TBD	Wasatch Front seismic hazards
Mar 6	No seminar	Spring Break
Mar 13	TBD Waste Management and Radiation Control Utah Department of Environmental Quality	Nuclear waste
Mar 20	Intermountain Sustainability Summit	Various talks and workshops see https://www.weber.edu/issummit
Mar 27	TBD	Water consumption and the Bear River
Apr 3	TBD	Thermal discharge and aquatic ecology
Part IV: Mock Permitting Hearing
Apr 10	Student presentations	Part I: Opening arguments
Apr 17	Student presentations	Part II: Debate

Past seminar series schedules: 2025 / 2024 / 2023 / 2022 / 2021 / 2020 / 2019