Speaker to Address Environmental and Social Impacts of Fracking

Duquesne University’s John Stolz to speak at The College of Wooster on Oct. 22

WOOSTER, Ohio — John Stolz, professor of biological sciences and director of the Center for Environmental Research and Education at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, will present “Impacts of Unconventional Shale Gas Drilling” on Monday, Oct. 22, at The College of Wooster. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Mateer Hall (931 College Mall).

The Marcellus and Utica Shale formations represent two of the largest reservoirs of unconventional natural gas in the world. They hold the potential, like other gas and oil reserves, to provide a source of energy and jobs in Ohio. The extraction of this natural gas, however, is not trivial, and if done without proper safeguards can result in the degradation of water and air quality, as well as the loss of land. Stolz’s presentation will cover all aspects of production, including an explanation of what horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing actually are, and what post-production facilities are necessary, as well as the environmental and community impacts.

A member of Duquesne’s faculty since 1990, Stolz specializes in microbial ecology as well as the application of unique microbial species for bioremediation. A graduate of Fordham University, Stolz earned his Ph.D. at Boston University. He is the recipient of numerous fellowships, grants, and other awards, including the President’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship at Duquesne. He has also authored more than 60 articles for scholarly journals and 30 book chapters, and edited two books: Microbial Metabolism of Metal and Metalloids: Advances and Applications, and Structure of Phototrophic Prokaryotes. He belongs to the American Geophysical Union, the American Society of Microbiology, the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the New York Academy of Science, among others. He has also served on a number of committees and editorial boards, including the Journal of International Microbiology.

Additional information about the lecture is available by phone (330-263-2488) or e-mail.