Lecture by John Van Leer: “Building Our Better Future Faster”

The Institute for the Science of Origins will host John Van Leer (CIT ’62), associate professor in the Department of Ocean Sciences at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, for a pair of lectures April 5 and 6.

Get more information about the lectures.

“Building Our Better Future Faster”

Friday, April 5
12:45 to 2 p.m.
Clapp Hall, Room 108

Van Leer will discuss why a transition to renewable energy will have economic benefits.

About the speaker

After earning his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the Case Institute of Technology in 1962, Van Leer worked for three years as an aerospace engineer for the MIT Instrumentation Lab (now Draper Lab) designing guidance system components for Titan and a 100g re-entry guidance system for Minuteman.

Van Leer earned a Joint ScD granted by MIT and Woods Hole Oceanographic institution in 1971, designing and using ocean instrumentation to measure thermocline microstructure.

He has four decades of seagoing ocean observations and engineering innovation, including designing and manufacturing an early robotic vehicle, with real-time telemetry, called a Cyclesonde. 

His key field experience includes three Arctic Ocean experiments at the peak of the Cold War for the U.S. Navy. Van Leer spent 4 1/2 years at sea in the process in the service of multi-disciplinary science as well as military and industrial applications.  

During the last decade, he has taught sustainable living as well as leading field trips to Greenland and Iceland for the University of Miami.  His other recent field experiences include investigating permafrost, glacial processes and gaining real-world experience with PV and transcontinental trips by EV.