University of Maine at Presque Isle President Don Zillman recently was invited to deliver the Foulston Siefkin lecture on wind power at the Washburn University School of Law in Topeka, Kansas.
Zillman, who, along with his duties as UMPI president, serves as the Edward S. Godfrey Professor of Law at the University of Maine School of Law, offered the 32nd Annual Foulston Siefkin Lecture on Friday, Feb. 27. His talk, hosted by the Washburn University School of Law and the Washburn Law Journal, was entitled More Than Tilting at Windmills.
Zillman discussed wind power and energy law in general – he’s written on the subjects extensively and most recently co-edited the book Beyond the Carbon Economy, which was published by Oxford University Press – and also discussed UMPI’s work to install a 600 kW wind turbine on campus.
“It was an honor to serve as their distinguished lecturer. There are many eminent people who have delivered the Foulston Siefkin Lecture before me, and it was wonderful to be in the third best wind state in the country talking about wind power and what we’ve done here in Maine,” President Zillman said. “I was delighted by how new and innovative some of our ventures appear to be to sophisticated Kansas. That’s good news for the State of Maine and the work we’re doing here.”
President Zillman has had an extensive law career. Prior to assuming the UMPI presidency in 2006, he served for seven years as Dean of the University of Maine School of Law. He has taught at the U.S. Army JAG School, Southampton University Law School in the United Kingdom, Arizona State University, and the University of Utah. Throughout his career, he has taught courses in energy law, military law, torts, property, constitutional law, and legal writing.
President Zillman taught one of the first law school seminars in energy law at Arizona State in 1975, and he served as Director of the Energy Law Center at Utah, where he was awarded the Burlington Northern Award for outstanding teaching in 1987. He has written over 50 scholarly articles and co-authored 10 books primarily in the fields of energy law and military law. His expertise makes him a much sought-after speaker on energy topics around the world.
Foulston Siefkin LLP, the largest law firm in Kansas, has sponsored the Foulston Siefkin Lecture since 1978 to enrich the quality of education at Washburn University School of Law, according to the law school’s website. Articles derived from the lectures are published by the Washburn Law Journal. The Washburn University School of Law was established in 1903.