Texas A&M Administrators, Faculty Join EarthX Lineup

Texas A&M University will showcase numerous speakers and programs during EarthX, a multi-day event set formerly known as Earth Day Texas for April 19-28 at Fair Park in Dallas with more than 130,000 people expected to attend.

EarthX, called the world’s largest environmental experience, provides a forum for sharing the latest policies, products, discoveries and corporate practices that tend to shape the world. More than 650 exhibitors and 400 speakers from academic institutions, government agencies, businesses and environmental groups will be attending the annual EarthX festival.

Notable speakers this year will include U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry and South Carolina U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

“Texas A&M has numerous speakers this year and it is always one of the key players in Earth Day,” said Casey Oliver, regional manager with the Provost Office of Texas A&M’s Public Partnership & Outreach division. “Texas A&M and other entities are working together to showcase and solve problems surrounding environmental issues. There are many facets to this multi-day expo – conferences, exhibits, science demonstrations, symposia – there really is something for everyone.”

Oliver added that “Aggies are known for their innovation and action, and once again Texas A&M and its affiliates will show how we are transforming education and impacting environmental issues and problems. Also, this is the first year the Texas A&M School of Law will be participating, and they have some exciting programs lined up.”

Texas A&M speakers will include:

• Jorge Vanegas, College of Architecture dean and professor
• Nim Kidd, Texas A&M System vice chancellor for Disaster and Emergency Services and chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management
• Gabriel Eckstein, School of Law professor and director of the Program in Natural Resource Systems
• Vanessa Perez, School of Law associate professor and research associate of agricultural economics

Earth Day, established in 1970, is considered the birth of the environmental movement.

Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, was inspired to start Earth Day after he witnessed a massive oil spill in 1969 off the California coast. His goal was to get people thinking and energized about the environment, the effects of water and air pollution and other issues impacting Earth.

The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970, was a huge success and eventually led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Clean Air, Clean Water and Endangered Species Act.

EarthX is free and open to the public. Visit the EarthX website for schedules, events, booths, displays and other key information.