DCU Nobel Laureate Lecture Series
-2 November 2010

Nobel Laureate and US Energy Secretary, Dr Steven Chu, this morning launched DCU's Nobel Laureate Lecture Series in the Helix. An audience of over 1000 comprising staff, students, businesses, and members of the general public, attended his lecture, 'A Random walk in science: from laser cooling to global warming'.

Dr Chu's lecture is the first of the six lectures in the series which will also include Nobel Laureate speakers in the areas of Chemistry, Peace, Economics, Physiology and Medicine and Literature".

Speaking at today's event, DCU President Professor MacCraith said. "DCU is a university of enterprise and innovation and we are committed to raising students' awareness of all major issues which are of concern to the 21st century. These include issues of energy conservation and production, the environment, technological advancements, healthcare and the welfare of all human life", he said.

"DCU has already developed a strong reputation since its establishment 30 years ago for the strength of the learning experience, its focus on merging academic endeavour with enterprise, its accessibility and inclusivity and the importance of applying its research for the benefit of society. As a university, we are committed to exposing our students to excellence, and today's visit by Dr Chu is an example of excellence at the highest possible level", he added.

"We aim to continue to play our role as innovative educators by developing initiatives such as these which contribute to an exceptional and unique learning experience at DCU," MacCraith said.

In a fascinating lecture delivered to a packed theatre, Secretary Chu highlighted the key issues surrounding global warming, ending with a thought-provoking and moving native American saying, "Treat the earth well. It was not given you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children".

Dr Steven Chu won the 1997 Nobel Prize for Physics for his work in developing a technique to cool down an atom to a very low temperature (nearly absolute zero or -273 degrees Celsius) in order to trap and manipulate it with light. He and his team used laser beams to trap the atoms, creating what they called 'optical molasses'.

The US Senate confirmed Dr Chu as Energy Secretary in January 2009. He is the first Nobel Laureate appointed to a US cabinet post. Much of Dr. Chu's tenure has been focused on crafting a bolder, more science-driven strategy in order to combat problems such as climate change.

His current focus of his work is on climate change, and renewable energy. He is also an advocate for the need to move toward carbon-neutral energy sources, and the need for technologies that will allow that.