Engineering

Nuclear energy topic of 2010 Oxford Debate

The viability of nuclear power as an alternative energy source is the topic of the Schreyer Honors College's second annual Oxford Debate.

The debate, patterned after those established by Britain's Oxford Student Union, will be held at 8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 18, in the HUB Auditorium on Penn State's University Park campus.

Each position will be defended by a team made up of a Penn State faculty member and students from the Schreyer Honors College and/or the Presidential Leadership Academy. Arguing against nuclear power as an alternative energy source will be Dr. Ljubisa R. Radovic, professor of energy and mineral engineering; Noah Simmons, a junior Scholar majoring in international politics; and Angelo Cerimele, a sophomore majoring in economics and a member of the Presidential Leadership Academy. In favor of nuclear power will be Dr. Arthur T. Motta, chair of nuclear engineering and professor of nuclear engineering and materials science and engineering; Samuel Settle, a junior Scholar majoring in political science; and Brenna Thorpe, a junior Scholar majoring in advertising/public relations.

After each panelist presents a two- to three-minute position statement, the panel’s members field questions from the audience. The debate concludes with summary statements from each panel.

When audience members arrive at the debate, they will be asked to sit on the side of the auditorium designated as being for or against the resolution. At the conclusion of the debate, audience members will be polled as they exit and will be asked to indicate whether their position remained unchanged or if their opinion shifted as a result of the debate. The winning team is determined by the number of audience members whose opinion shifted over the course of the debate.

Co-sponsoring the debate are the Presidential Leadership Academy and the Center for Democratic Deliberation.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Last Updated January 9, 2015

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