Speaker: Dr. Mitch Wagener
Topic: Sunday Science: Earth’s Future: More Fire and Less Ice

Dr. Mitch Wagener has been teaching ecology, climate ecology, and related courses at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury since 1996. In 2019, he received the Aquarion Environmental Champion Award, Individual Communication category. That same year Dr. Wagener received an official citation from the Connecticut General Assembly for his efforts in climate change education and community service. His research interests include the impact of historical events—such as the Industrial Revolution—on the environment.

Mitch began life in the Midwest, growing up a barefoot boy in the Ozarks and attending high school in Branson, Missouri—before it became so famous. After spending a year as an exchange student in Chiang Mai, Thailand, he attended the University of Missouri, where he completed an undergrad degree in Fisheries and Wildlife. After college he moved to Fairbanks, Alaska to attend graduate school. Mitch received a masters degree in Stream Ecology and a doctorate in Soil Ecology during his 13 years in Alaska. There too, he met the lovely Rita Kabali, a native of Uganda, East Africa, to whom he has now been married 37 years. They have two lively daughters, Rohanna 31 (a history teacher in New Haven) and Danika 23 (attending nursing school). They also recently welcomed their first grandchild, Leon, who is three years old. Mitch enjoys—among other things—watching his grandson grow up and explaining climate change to the public.

Summary of talk:
Climate change is the greatest challenge we face and will be our grandchildren’s. In a warmer world, weather events will be more severe, sea levels higher, and people will be displaced. The study of climate change is developing very quickly.

Significant new information is coming out – literally – every day. This talk will explain the basics but also mix in some of this new information to deepen our understanding of the world and our future.

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