Vassar geology professor to kick off national book tour during Earth Week, April 11

Jill S. Schneiderman, associate professor of geology at Vassar College, will kick off a national book tour to promote her new book "The Earth Around Us: Maintaining a Livable Planet" with a talk and book signing on Tuesday, April 11, at 8 p.m. in the Jade Parlor, Main Building, Vassar College. The presentation is free of charge and open to the public.

"The Earth Around Us: Maintaining a Livable Planet" includes a series of accessible essays by authors including Stephen Jay Gould, E-an Zen, and John McPhee; as well as Vassar scientists Kirsten Menking and Meg Stewart; and Virginia Ashby Sharpe of the Hastings Center in Garrison. The book presents information Schneiderman believes educated citizens need to serve as conscientious citizens and stewards of the planet. Her book addresses the impact of deforestation in Vermont and the Pacific Northwest, the need to protect public lands, the disappearance of tall grass prairies in the Midwestern United States, water scarcity in Texas and other relatively dry areas in the United States, and water quality in major metropolitan areas such as New York City, among many other issues in virtually every region of the country.

Never before has such a widely experienced group of prominent earth scientists been brought together to help readers understand how earth systems function to produce our physical environment. Driven by the belief that earth science is, and should be an integral part of everyday life, "The Earth Around Us" empowers all of us to play a more educated and active part in the search for a sustainable future for people and other living things.

Ongoing environmental disasters, such as the excessive paving of land surfaces and consequent destruction of fertile soils in California, the current flooding along the Limpopo River, the drought in northern Africa, and the cyanide spill in Rumania underscore the need for this vital and topical book.

Schneiderman, a Poughkeepsie resident, teaches courses in geology, environmental studies, and women's studies. During the 104th Congress, she worked on environmental issues as a science advisor to the Tom Daschle, Democratic leader of the U.S. Senate.

For additional information, contact the Department of Geology, 845-437-5540. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Cathy Jennings, Office of Campus Activities, at (845) 437-5370, as far in advance as possible to request appropriate and reasonable accommodations.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations or information on accessibility should contact Campus Activities Office at (845) 437-5370. Without sufficient notice, appropriate space and/or assistance may not be available.

Vassar College is a highly selective, coeducational, independent, residential liberal arts college founded in 1861.

This article was posted on Tuesday, April 11th, 2000.