On Thursday, Jan. 31, The University of Findlay will participate in a Focus The Nation teach-in on global warming solutions, centered on using education, civic engagement and leadership to find a solution to global warming. More than 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states will participate.

The teach-in will kick off nationally Jan. 30, with the “2% Solution” Web cast produced by the National Wildlife Federation and aired by the Earth Day Network.

On campus Jan. 31, students in an environmental studies class taught by Julie McIntosh, Ed.D., assistant professor in the College of Education, will host poster presentations from 11 a.m. until noon in the Winebrenner Theological Seminary (WTS) atrium.

At noon, author, public speaker, filmmaker and Web designer Chad Kister will present “Arctic Melting” in the WTS auditorium. He will offer an overview of the impacts of climate change on the arctic and Alaska, including ice melting, polar bear and other animal population changes and permafrost decline, and he will address what people can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Kister also will talk about his own 700-mile journey by foot and raft across Alaska.

Both the poster presentations and Kister’s presentation are open to the public.

Nationwide, another piece of Focus The Nation’s teach-in model will be the “Choose Your Future” vote. All students, faculty and community participants will be encouraged to vote on what they think are the top five solutions to global warming from a list of 10 to 15 that will be available Jan. 21 at www.focusthenation.org. Vote results will be presented nationally in mid-February. All students who vote on the “Choose Your Future” ballot will be eligible to win a $10,000 leadership scholarship for a project to be completed by end of August 2008.