Description
As Earth’s temperature rises due to the effects of climate change, cooling the air in our lived environments is increasingly crucial. It’s not just about comfort — it’s about health, productivity and survival.
Dependence on conventional air conditioning systems presents a paradox. While it offers immediate heat relief for those who have it, it contributes to global warming through high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. So, how do we meet the growing demand for cooling – here in L.A. and around the world – in a manner that is sustainable, energy-efficient and accessible to all? And how can we reduce the cooling demand through smarter design, behavior change and innovative technologies?
Panelists Tony Atti, CEO of Phononic, and John P. Wilson, director of USC Spatial Sciences Institute, explore these questions and delve into the latest research on sustainable cooling solutions. The discussion is moderated by Alex Cohen, host of Spectrum News 1’s Inside the Issues with Alex Cohen.
Who Will Benefit
– Those who are interested in learning about innovative fixes to the effects of climate change
– Researchers seeking to create effective solutions for cooling our earth
– Those hoping to understand how multi-disciplined experts can collaborate to combat global warming
About Our Featured Faculty
John P. Wilson, PhD, is professor of spatial sciences and sociology at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. He is also founding director of the USC Spatial Sciences Institute. He holds adjunct appointments as professor in the USC School of Architecture, the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.
His research focuses on the modeling of environmental systems and makes extensive use of GIS software tools, fieldwork, spatial analysis techniques and computer models. He has published numerous books and articles on these topics, including two edited volumes, Terrain Analysis: Principles and Applications (John Wiley and Sons, 2000) and the Handbook of Geographic Information Science (Blackwell Publishers, 2007), and Environmental Applications of Digital Terrain Modeling (John Wiley and Sons, 2018).
Much of this work is collaborative and cross-disciplinary with the goal of improving knowledge and understanding of the factors linking society, the environment and human health. Prior to establishing the Spatial Sciences Institute, Wilson served as Chair of the Department of Geography at USC, and was professor of geography in the Department of Earth Sciences, adjunct professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Science, and director of the Geographic Information and Analysis Center at Montana State University.
