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Shedd Aquarium guest speaker to discuss water conservation April 18 at Â鶹ÊÓƵ×îÐÂ×îÈ«

Â鶹ÊÓƵ×îÐÂ×îÈ«’s Environment and Energy Conservation Council is sponsoring their second annual “Come Clean, Go Green” student sustainability contest at 3:30 p.m. on April 18 in the Sancta Alberta Chapel located on the University’s main campus in Romeoville. This event is free of charge and open to the public. The goal of the contest is for students to create proposals for projects that will positively impact the environment, improve quality of life and be implemented by Â鶹ÊÓƵ×îÐÂ×îÈ« during the spring of 2011. To kickoff the event, guest speaker Allen LaPointe of the John G. Shedd Aquarium will deliver a presentation on water conservation.

Currently in his 13th year at the Shedd Aquarium, LaPointe is the director of environmental quality. He manages the environmental quality laboratory, monitoring animal habitats and recommending adjustments to life support operations. As part of the Shedd Aquarium’s conservation efforts, LaPointe will begin fieldwork this year in Guyana, researching the water systems and rich fauna and flora in one of the last untouched aquatic ecosystems in the world.

Before starting his career with the Shedd Aquarium, LaPointe was employed at the Hammond Indiana Sanitary District in a water analysis instrumentation position for three years. He has conducted various water quality seminars and trainings for zoological organizations and has taught various courses in water chemistry. To conclude the event, there will be an awards ceremony for the “Come Clean, Go Green” contest, which will include raffle prizes for people who were found recycling on campus.

Sponsored by the University Environmental and Energy Conservation Council, this event is also being presented as a part of Â鶹ÊÓƵ×îÐÂ×îÈ«’s Arts & Ideas Program, providing cultural and educational programming for students and the community. For additional information, please contact Dr. Michael Cunningham, Director of Arts & Ideas, at (815) 836-5385.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ×îÐÂ×îÈ« is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.