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This article was published 22/6/2010 (3753 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Vaclav Smil

Although University of Manitoba professor Vaclav Smil keeps such a low profile that most people in the community haven't heard of him, Bill Gates has. And the American billionaire says we would be wise to heed the Winnipeg professor.

Gates has praised Smil on his website for his innovative stance on energy policies. Gates wrote that Smil's books and research have opened his eyes to a new understanding of energy and environmental problems.

"If you are interested in learning more about the foundation of our energy system, the issues we face and opportunities to address them, I highly recommend his books," Gates wrote on thegatesnotes.com.

Smil is a distinguished professor in the Faculty of Environment, Earth, and Resources at the U of M. His research takes an interdisciplinary look at connections between energy use, environmental issues, population, food, economics and public policy. He has written several books on these topics.

He has earned fame around the world as an expert in this field, but his work seems to have fallen under the radar in Canada.

Faculty dean Norman Halden said Smil is "a great character" who adds to the fabric of the U of M.

Though Smil is media-shy, declining an interview with the Free Press, Halden says he's prone to lively debates on campus. "The last time I ran into him in the corridor, we argued for four hours," Halden chuckled.

"He is one of the best critical thinkers regarding comprehensive interactions between humans and the Earth," Halden said.

In a time when the world is rethinking its dependence on oil, Smil's work may be particularly important. But his outlook on the world's fossil-fuel energy problem may not be what people want to hear. According to his website, Smil contends that carbon sequestration, electric cars and alternative energy technologies will not provide the solutions environmentalists are looking for due to cost, the time they take to develop and social factors that will hamper their acceptance by the public.

Halden is happy Smil has made a connection with Gates, who, according to his website, hosted Smil on a visit to his office to discuss energy issues.

He finds it encouraging an innovator of Gates' stature is interested in ongoing work at the U of M.

Gates recommends four of Smil's books: Energy at the Crossroads: Global Perspectives and Uncertainties; Global Catastrophes and Trends: The Next Fifty Years; Enriching the Earth: Fritz Haber, Carol Bosch and the Transformation of World Food Production; Energies: An Illustrated Guide to the Biosphere and Civilization.

sandy.klowak@freepress.mb.ca