Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Oxford University Professor Tariq Ramadan for a discussion of his new book, "What I Believe." Reflecting on the formative experiences of his life, Professor Ramadan traces the influence of his family, his education in Western philosophy and Islamic studies, and the impact of his different careers including high school principal, philosopher, and Islamic scholar. He explains what it means to be a religious reformer and characterizes his work as a bridge builder between the Islamic world and the West. Articulating his commitment to universal principles and resistance to inequality, Ramadan analyzes the tensions facing Muslims in an era of globalization as they strive to be fully engaged as citizens committed to Western values. Professor Ramadan also discusses his perspective on women's rights and the controversy over the building of a mosque near the World Trade Center.
http://conversations.berkeley.edu
UC Berkeley graduate student, Thomas Azwell is helping to restore the Gulf of Mexico's marshes after they were severely damaged by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill from April to July of 2010. Partnering with researchers and agencies in the Gulf, the Environmental Science student is staking tubes of cotton netting stuffed with pre-composted sugar cane fiber into the dying marshes of Louisiana, testing whether the environmentally sustainable waste material can give a larger variety of plants a better chance at healing the oil-damaged wetlands.
For full story:
http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2012/02/08/gulf-spill-spurs-student-research/
Video produced by Roxanne Makasdjian, UC Berkeley Media Relations