From the gushing geysers of "Giant" to the plutonium-powered time machine of "Back to the Future," Hollywood has entertained us with unforgettable, often iconic images of energy. Dr. Michael Webber, deputy director of the Energy Institute at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin), is an expert on how the energy industry is portrayed on the big screen.
A few years ago, Webber, along with The Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, produced "Energy at the Movies," an hourlong educational special that aired on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). "Energy at the Movies" illustrated how Hollywood has captured the history of energy through popular films.
"Movies are historical documents that can be used as teaching tools," Webber stated "The clearest example of how one film changed public persona that is often cited is the 'China Syndrome,' which came out at roughly the same time as the Three Mile Island incident."
According to Webber, a few more energy-related films have been released since the airing of the syndicated special on PBS, including "Promised Land" and "Deepwater Horizon."
"In addition, energy themes continue to course through seemingly unrelated movies because energy is ubiquitous," Webber said. "Many films have themes that memorialize collective optimism, fear and observations about energy. 'Energy at the Movies' was designed to expand audiences' understanding of the key issues surrounding energy and the environment."
Webber originally presented "Energy at the Movies" to a group in California more than 10 years ago. This original presentation, which was inspired by two courses he had taken on history in the movies, evolved into an undergraduate course first taught at UT Austin. The "Energy at the Movies" special was taped before a live audience at KLRU-TV in Austin.
Webber still speaks about "Energy at the Movies" every year in his classes and in public settings whenever the opportunity arises. Some of the themes he touches on are how different fuels are treated in different ways. His next project, launched from "Energy at the Movies," is a six-part series titled "Power Trip: The Story of Energy," which includes episodes on water, food, wealth, cities, transportation and security. In addition, Webber has also launched "Energy 101," which covers technologies, fuels, environmental impacts, policies and interdisciplinary factors of energy in an engaging and interactive format.
"While the format allows for informal engagement by members of the general public, the rigorous content also lends itself to use in higher education," Webber said. "'Energy at the Movies,' 'Energy 101' and 'Power Trip' are all part of a broader program to improve the world's energy literacy and change the way we think about energy. To improve our approach to resource management, we all have a lot to learn."
According to Webber, "Energy101" has been adopted by high schools, prominent universities and leading energy companies as required or recommended reading.
"I have also coupled it with on-site short courses to help people in all parts of society improve their energy literacy," Webber said. "Overall, my impression is that this holistic approach to energy education helps reveal nonobvious solutions to our energy challenges that will help industry find ways to reduce their environmental footprint while also maintaining economic competitiveness."
Webber also leads the Webber Energy Group, a research team in the mechanical engineering department at UT Austin that addresses critical issues at the intersection of energy, technology, policy and the environment.
For more information, visit www.energyatthemovies.com or www. webberenergygroup.com, or call (512) 475-6867.
