Britt Moore

MARSHALLTOWN – Marshalltown Community College is reviving the lecture series begun by long-serving history faculty, Dr. Tom Colbert. Colbert organized the Symposium in 1984 with the memorial funds for his predecessor, George Shear. Colbert continued to run the Symposium throughout his tenure, with topics originating with Shear’s research interests (railroads, Russia, and the CIA) and later ranging from historical topics to contemporary issues. Beginning in November, the Shear Colbert Symposium will host guest speakers on the theme “Eat, Drink, Breathe: Life’s Essentials.”

The Symposium will begin with the lecture “What’s in Your Water, Iowa?” with speaker E. Britt Moore on Wednesday, Nov. 20. Moore is a former high school science teacher and agricultural extension and outreach specialist. He is a Ph.D. student at Iowa State University where he studies soils and sustainable agriculture and conducts research on water use efficiency, ecosystem services and climate change adaptation. Moore also works with youth to promote soil science and agriculture. He has also guest lectured at MCC.

MCC will welcome William Gutowski, Phd. Professor of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences at Iowa State University on Jan. 22, 2020. A co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeThe final speaker on April 15, 2020, is Angie Tagtow. Tagtow is Founder & Chief Strategist,

More information will be released about the Jan. 22 and April 15 speakers as they near. “What’s in Your Water, Iowa?” will be held at 11 am, Wednesday, Nov. 20, on the Marshalltown Community College campus, 3702 S. Center St., Marshalltown in the Helio Portes Lecture Hall.

All speakers are open to the public and free to attend. Refreshments will be available during the event.