9:57 a.m., March 6, 2009----Oceangoing ships have provided a means for global exploration, enabled the interaction of diverse communities of people, and connected economies through the movement of goods. But recently, the ships and the high-sulfur fuels they use are attracting attention for their effects on human health and the environment.

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Learn more about this timely topic at the University of Delaware's Lunch and Lecture Series event from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25, at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, Del. The event is sponsored by UD's College of Marine and Earth Studies (CMES), the Delaware Sea Grant College Program and DuPont Clear into the Future.

The lecture will be given by James Corbett, UD associate professor of marine policy, who will present “More Than Navigation -- Ocean Shipping's Global Course Toward Sustainable Goods Movement.”

Corbett will discuss how government policy, economic incentives, and technological advances could help the shipping industry reduce its human and environmental impacts while continuing to move goods and resources.

“The role of shipping in climate change, energy conservation, and human health impacts has gained significant attention and urgency for action,” he said. “This presentation will help us understand how traditional freight operations could improve for all transportation modes, including ships, trains, trucks, and aircraft.”

Corbett co-authored a research study published last month in the Journal of Geophysical Research that found commercial ships globally emit almost half as much particulate matter pollutants into the air as the total amount released by the world's cars.

A 2008 article he co-published in Environmental Science and Technology reported findings that worldwide shipping-related emissions are responsible for approximately 60,000 cardiopulmonary and lung cancer deaths annually.

In 2008, Corbett was named a member of an international research team conducting greenhouse gas emissions analysis on global shipping for the International Maritime Organization.

An expert on issues related to freight transportation, energy, and emissions, Corbett has master's degrees from Carnegie Mellon University in mechanical engineering as well as engineering and public policy. He earned his doctoral degree from Carnegie Mellon in engineering and public policy.

The event includes lunch at the award-winning Hotel du Pont, located at 11th and Market streets in Wilmington. Tickets are $15, and advance registration is required by Friday, March 20. Reserve a seat by calling (302) 831-8062 or e-mailing [CMES@udel.edu].