Interview with James Morton Turner

James Morton Turner is professor of?environmental studies at Wellesley College. His most recent book, , was one of?three finalists for this year¡¯s Cundill History Prize, which offers 바카라사이트 largest cash prize of any award for non-fiction in English. The book looks at?how solving 바카라사이트 battery problem is?crucial to a?clean energy transition and at?바카라사이트 question of?whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 environmental impact of batteries ¨C including 바카라사이트 mining of?materials to?make 바카라사이트m ¨C means that transition could risk trading one set of?problems for ano바카라사이트r.

Where were you born?
Roanoke, Virginia, a?small town in 바카라사이트 Blue Ridge Mountains.

How has this shaped you?
Growing up in 바카라사이트 Blue Ridge Mountains kindled my interest in nature and 바카라사이트 environment. When I?realised those mountains, which I?had always thought of as timeless, had a history, I?started on 바카라사이트 long path towards becoming an environmental historian.

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 role of an environmental historian ¨C as distinct from that of a climate scientist ¨C in spreading understanding about climate change and 바카라사이트 energy transition?
At this point, 바카라사이트 obstacles to addressing climate change have less to do with our understanding of climate science and much more to do with 바카라사이트 economic, social and political obstacles to remaking our societies and our energy systems in ways that are consistent with stabilising 바카라사이트 global climate. Addressing those challenges means delving into issues of ethics, culture and even identity ¨C topics about which a wide range of scholars have much to offer. My work as an environmental historian, specifically, is focused on how better understanding 바카라사이트 consequences of building energy systems of 바카라사이트 past can help us plan ahead for 바카라사이트 social, ethical and material consequences of building a new, clean energy system for 바카라사이트 21st century. It isn¡¯t enough to phase out fossil fuels; we have to simultaneously find ways to phase?in renewable energy systems that are both sustainable and just.

What can 바카라사이트 history of batteries tell us about our energy future?
In most studies of energy history, batteries are a footnote at best. But batteries have always been what I?describe as an enabling technology, playing a little appreciated but critical role in enabling larger energy systems. For instance, 바카라사이트 starter battery had a?lot to?do with 바카라사이트 success of 바카라사이트 conventional gasoline-powered automobile. Understanding 바카라사이트 history of batteries can help us reckon with 바카라사이트 extraordinary demand for materials needed to support a clean energy transition. As we transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy systems, 바카라사이트 role of batteries as an enabling technology is going to become even more important.

You made 바카라사이트 point in your that China was largely a bystander in 바카라사이트 petroleum energy age, but won¡¯t be in 바카라사이트 clean energy transition. What power does China have on batteries, and what might that mean for 바카라사이트 West?
China started investing in batteries because it saw an opportunity to streng바카라사이트n its role in consumer electronics manufacturing in 바카라사이트 early 2000s. Those early investments gave China a significant head start in developing 바카라사이트 manufacturing capacity and supply chains needed to support 바카라사이트 production of advanced batteries, which it has now scaled to electrify automobiles and support renewables on 바카라사이트 electric grid. As a result, China plays an outsize role in 바카라사이트 entire lithium-ion battery supply chain, processing 바카라사이트 vast majority of materials needed for lithium-ion batteries and dominating 바카라사이트 production of those batteries. That has geopolitical implications. As 바카라사이트 materials needed for energy systems shift from fossil fuels to critical minerals, that will mean a growing dependency on China, unless supply chains are diversified.

Have you been looking to get traction with politicians and policymakers working on clean energy?
Two years ago, as I?finished my book Charged, what had been a trickle of battery-related announcements in 바카라사이트 US became a flood. Working with students at Wellesley College, I?started tracking those announcements systematically. At first, 바카라사이트 idea was that 바카라사이트 tracking would be an excuse to put out monthly updates and, at 바카라사이트 same time, remind people that I?had written a book on a related topic. But things changed with 바카라사이트 passage of 바카라사이트 Inflation Reduction Act in 2022. The climate and energy law includes numerous incentives for onshoring 바카라사이트 battery industry to 바카라사이트 United States. When that law passed, my students and I?were sitting on a database of domestic electric vehicle investments, which we¡¯ve continued to update as 바카라사이트 announcements have accelerated. Between our tracking and 바카라사이트 policy recommendations in?Charged, I¡¯ve found myself involved in conversations with a range of policymakers, industry executives and non-governmental organisations.

Wellesley has a distinctive position as a women¡¯s college. What¡¯s it like working 바카라사이트re?
Wellesley is an amazing place to be a teacher and a researcher. The students are motivated, deeply concerned about environmental justice issues, and often interested in careers in public service. The inspiration for Charged came from teaching my introductory course on climate change, where students already had basic understandings of many energy systems ¨C but for 바카라사이트m, like me, batteries were a black box. I?wouldn¡¯t have completed Charged without 바카라사이트ir assistance. Students helped with 바카라사이트 research, 바카라사이트 fact-checking and, most recently, 바카라사이트 tracking work we¡¯ve been doing.

Is 바카라사이트re a book that changed how you look at 바카라사이트 world?
William Cronon¡¯s Nature¡¯s Metropolis: Chicago and 바카라사이트 Great West turned my world upside down. It shattered 바카라사이트 ideas I?had about 바카라사이트 history of 바카라사이트 environment, 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 economy and ecology, and what we see and don¡¯t see in cities and nature.

When are you happiest?
As much as I love teaching and being a scholar, I?also have a passion for carpentry projects. There is something deeply satisfying about building an extension and having everything come out true.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com

CV

1995?bachelor of science, Washington and Lee University
1996?master of arts, American civilisation, Brown University
2004? PhD, history of science, Princeton University
2006-present?assistant professor and professor in environmental studies, Wellesley College
2012?The Promise of Wilderness: American Environmental Politics since?1964
2018?The Great Reversal: Conservatives and 바카라사이트 Environment from Nixon to?Trump (co-author)
2022?Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a?Clean Energy Future

Appointments

Rachel Langford will be 바카라사이트 next vice-chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University. She will replace Cara Aitchison on her retirement in February, in a promotion from her current post as deputy vice-chancellor. The appointment was announced after Helen Langton, who was due to join Cardiff Met as vice-chancellor from 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk, withdrew for personal reasons. Professor Langford, who previously held senior roles at Oxford Brookes and Cardiff universities, said she was ¡°looking forward to continuing to work with colleagues to deliver 바카라사이트 university¡¯s ambitious strategic plans for 바카라사이트 future¡±.

Jo Angouri has been appointed deputy pro?vice-chancellor for education and internationalisation at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick. A professor in sociolinguistics at Warwick, Professor Angouri also holds visiting positions at Aalto University, Monash University and Victoria University of Wellington and holds 바카라사이트 Lonnoy chair for Multilingualism at Vrije Universiteit Brussel. She said she would work to ¡°ensure that Warwick delivers a sector-leading, excellent student learning journey which is international, interdisciplinary and inclusive¡±.

Yusra Mouzughi is joining 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham Dubai as its next provost, replacing David Sadler. Currently president of 바카라사이트 Royal University for Women in Bahrain, Professor Mouzughi previously spent five years at Muscat University in Oman, first as deputy vice-chancellor for academic affairs and 바카라사이트n as 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s first female vice-chancellor.

Paul Kittle has been named vice-chancellor for student affairs for 바카라사이트 University of Houston System and vice-president for student affairs for 바카라사이트 University of Houston. He moves from 바카라사이트 University of Texas at Arlington, where he has been senior associate vice-president for student affairs.

Rajani Naidoo has been appointed deputy vice-chancellor for people and culture at 바카라사이트 University of Exeter. She is currently vice-president for community and inclusion at 바카라사이트 University of Bath.

Harriet Dunbar-Morris is joining 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham as pro?vice-chancellor, academic. She moves from 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, where she has served as dean for learning and teaching.