Former Governor of Massachusetts and Democratic candidate for president Michael Dukakis will deliver the opening address in a symposium held today and tomorrow on the future of energy - and will likely be discussing public transportation.
And he'll be taking the T.
The Tufts Democrats and Tufts' Energy Security Initiative (ESI) are working together to bring together the politics and the science of energy in a two-day conference.
Tufts professors and alumni will come together with other experts in the field to lead discussions on new alternative forms of energy and current energy policy.
Saturday's panel on transportation in America will include Dave Austgen, general manager of technology and operations in health, safety and environment at Shell Hydrogen, Alexander Heil from Tufts' department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, and Tufts alumnus Nick Chaset (LA '05).
Friday's panel discussion on America's oil dependence will also feature Massachusetts congressman and Democrat Edward Markey, a member of the House of Representative's Energy and Commerce Committee.
ESI, a new organization studying energy policy at Tufts, hopes to foster a comprehensive perspective on energy with the symposium.
Event organizers Alex Wright and Jake Berliner led the creation of ESI at the beginning of this academic year following a summer of research in Germany and California.
Examining the energy policies in both regions "sparked our interest in just looking into energy issues as a whole, not just renewable energy," said Wright. "We don't take any sides. We don't promote renewable energy as good and oil as bad."
Berliner discussed the uniqueness of the organization and its focus on education rather than advocacy.
"What I'm advocating is that energy is not being talked about," Berliner said. "I think that sets our group and this panel apart from other groups at Tufts."
ESI led an event last fall examining the after-effects of Hurricane Katrina on the nation's energy supplies and the infrastructure designed to deliver energy.
And why should the Tufts Democrats care about energy?
According to various group members, concerns about energy - though not necessarily a hot-button platform item - is an issue of long-term and vital importance.
"When our generation matures and we're the ones holding office ... we want to be ahead of the game and we want to know how to deal with these issues," junior Scott Merrick and Democrats member said.
Tufts Democrats vice president Kayt Norris was very excited about co-sponsorship with ESI. "It's been a great coalition, because they understand the issue," Norris said, explaining that the ESI had to lead a teach-in for members of the Tufts Democrats.
"It was really great to see two student groups interacting and talking about their issues and their causes and their expertise."
She added that she hoped the Democrats could continue pairing with student groups on campus to examine different issues of long-term importance, and hoped to make this "Issues of the Future" symposium an annual event.
