[00:02.30]Narrator:Listen to a conversation between a student and his environmental science professor.
[00:10.88]Student:Hi, Professor Williams. [00:12.38]I’m here for our 1:30 meeting.
[00:14.88]Professor:Hi Michael. [00:16.07]Thanks for being so prompt. [00:17.88]That really makes a difference when I have so many students scheduled back to back. [00:22.77]If only there could be more than 24 hours in a day.
[00:26.77] Student:(Laughs) I know what you mean.
[00:29.33] Professor:So, what’s on your mind?
[00:31.88]Student:Well, I’m here about my topic choice.
[00:35.11]Professor:For the upcoming oral presentation? [00:37.72]By the way, how do you feel about speaking in front of the class?
[00:42.16]Student:Well I’d have to say I’m most comfortable writing papers, but I’m not nervous about doing this presentation. [00:49.58]It’ll be good public speaking practice you know.
[00:52.45]Professor:Exactly, and certainly, it’s a skill that is always useful.
[00:57.36]Student:Mm-hmm. [00:58.51]Yeah, so the assignment was for us to talk about a current environmental solution? [01:03.80]And I found so much eye opening information while researching. [01:08.23]The only problem is, I don’t know which area to go with.
[01:12.20]Professor:Okay well, which areas most interest you?
[01:16.07]Student:Well I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the concept of wind farms. [01:20.56]You know, using wind as a source of energy.
[01:23.93]Professor:Mm-hmm, go on.
[01:25.73]Student:Right um - lots of stuff on that you know types of wind farms and different designs, how they’ve been set up, how to get the most out of them.
[01:35.24]Professor:Okay, and what’s another choice?
[01:37.96]Student:Well, it’s a tie between wind farms and mushrooms.
[01:41.75]Professor:Mushrooms!? [01:43.16]Hm! Tell me more about that!
[01:45.72]Student:Well, there’s a species of mushrooms that produces chemicals that can eat away at toxic waste - from petroleum products, pesticides and other harmful pollutants.
[01:57.95]Professor:Yes, I’ve read research about this. [02:00.90]But actually, Michael, it’s the fungus beneath the ground that affects the harmful pollutants. [02:07.08]That’s an important difference.
[02:09.33]Student:Oh right, that’s what I meant. [02:11.99]I’ll explain it more clearly in class.
[02:14.44]Professor:Keep it simple. [02:15.88]Something like - just like trees produce apples, it’s the funghi that produce mushrooms, and it’s also those funghi that produce the helpful chemicals.
[02:28.33]It’s just so amazing that something low cost and already there in nature could solve such a large pollution problem caused by humans.
[02:37.41]Professor:It is intriguing. [02:39.08]Wind farms affect, too, but I think most of your classmates will already be generally familiar with that topic, whereas they might not have heard of this.
[02:50.24]Student:Okay. [02:51.33]Thanks, Professor Williams!
[02:53.14]Professor:Btw, what’s the growing period for this species?
[02:57.16]Student:Ah, it only takes a month to grow.
[03:00.27]Professor:Great! [03:01.42]The university has a greenhouse that’s sometimes available for research projects. [03:07.09]Why don’t you stop over there one afternoon, speak to the manager and ask if he’d let you use a small area of the greenhouse?
[03:15.55]Student:Okay.
[03:16.55]Professor:You could try to duplicate the results of the study!
[03:20.23]Student:In the greenhouse?
[03:21.66] Professor:Yes! [03:22.66]You have three months until the end of this semester. [03:26.18]It might make a strong final project!
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