It is my pleasure to announce that Richard Heinberg, the Senior Fellow-in-Residence of the Post Carbon Institute, will be speaking as a counterpoint speaker to the official speaker, Rex Tillerson, the CEO of ExxonMobil. This will not take place on the WPI Quad where the official ceremony is situated, but will instead take place at a nearby (walkable), separate location. All are welcome to come hear him speak.
Many of the students graduating this year find that Exxon’s disinformation campaign and its efforts to undermine Americans’ trust in their scientific institutions are entirely incompatible with their values and their future careers. Many students will be walking out of the commencement ceremony before the CEO of ExxonMobil, Rex Tillerson, speaks, to instead hear Richard Heinberg.
Richard Heinberg’s work is a powerful symbol of our wishes for WPI: a university which, in line with its budding green image, chooses to honor someone with leadership and vision, rather than a baron of the past, a force of the status quo.
When: Saturday, May 14 · 11:00am - 2:00pm, near Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Check out the Richard Heinberg’s profile at the Post Carbon Institute
Visit the Facebook gorup or the official website for the event.
News coverage:
Worcester Mag: Oil and water, WPI faculty and students launch separate dissenting campaigns
Telegram: Eco-conscious at WPI grumble about grad speaker
NECN: WPI graduation speaker controversy
