Lights, camera, action: The Department of Geosciences and the Honors College are working together to sponsor a film screening this Wednesday. The film “Switch”, created by University of Texas professor and State Geologist of Texas Scott Tinker, is about the conservation of energy in every form, from solar power to oil.
George Davis, a UA professor of geosciences, brought the filmmaker to the UA to show and discuss his work. Davis said energy conservation is an important issue that is addressed thoroughly within the film.
“The beauty of this film is that it covers every form and source of energy, from the biofuels to non-traditional energy sources to the traditional energy sources,” Davis said. “It’s able to manage all this in a very objective way and come to a conclusion that is all about individual choices.”
The concept of individual action is what brought the Honors College to co-sponsor the event, as the college’s themes of learning this year include sustainability and the examined life.
Patricia MacCorquodale, dean of the Honors College, said the film connects most strongly with the theme of the examined life.
“It’s about having students look at their passions and interests and think about how they can connect those to their life journey, and I think the film really ties into that as well,” MacCorquodale said.
The film has been shown at more than 400 college campuses since its release. Tinker said that he decided to make a movie of his work because films are the most effective media for reaching younger audiences.
“The issues are going to be here for many decades, and so it’s really students in college today that are going to be solving them,” Tinker said.
Of the 400 campuses the movie has been shown at, Tinker has gone to about 20 of them for question and answer discussions, which he said are his favorite part of the screenings.
“That’s where I learn what people are thinking,” Tinker said, “and it’s also a good way for other people to learn what other people are thinking, which is always eye-opening.”
MacCorquodale said students who attend will benefit from seeing not only the movie, but also Tinker’s passion for his subject.
“[Making a documentary] takes a long time, and so a person has to be pretty passionate about what they’re doing to undertake something like that,” MacCorquodale said. “The energy and his commitment and his vision will be something that will really be shared when he’s there personally.”
Clubs and organizations from both on and off campus have been invited to come to the screening and leave information about themselves for students, including Solar Cats, Compost Cats and organizers of the community garden.
People who attend may be surprised by the quality of the film, Davis said.
“Not much was spared on this, and so the images and the quality of the production is very, very high,” Davis said. “That lends itself to just underscoring that this is a very serious effort.”
SWITCH’: What is the future of energy?
Wednesday
4 p.m.
Student Union Memorial Center
Gallagher Theater
– Follow Jazmine Foster-Hall @Jazz_Foster
