Acclaimed author and investigative journalist will address the threats of climate change, headlining 51³Ô¹Ï’s .
Goodell, a noted expert on humanity’s fraught relationship with our rapidly changing planet, will speak on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m., in on Pacific’s Forest Grove Campus.
Born and raised in the Silicon Valley of California, Goodell began covering crime and politics in New York for 7 Days magazine in 1989. Since 1996, he has been a contributing writer at Rolling Stone and a frequent contributor to The New York Times Magazine.
He’s published six books, including Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future, How To Cool The Planet; Geoengineering and the Audacious Quest to Fix Earth’s Climate, and The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World.
His latest book, The Heat Will Kill You First: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet, investigates the impact that soaring temperatures will have on our lives and our world. The New York Times bestseller focuses on climate change, public health, and human rights, with an optimistic hope for how we can combat one of the most important humanitarian issues of our time.
Following the lecture, copies of The Heat Will Kill You First will be available for purchase and signing.
In conjunction with the lecture, Goodell will also meet with undergraduate and graduate-level 51³Ô¹Ï students on Oct. 1 for private discussions and question-and-answer opportunities. Members of the Pacific community and friends are also invited to read the book in advance and discuss it with the Boxer Book Club or in person .
The Les AuCoin Human Rights Lecture honors 51³Ô¹Ï alumnus Les AuCoin ’69, Hon. ’78. The nine-time U.S. Congressman, representing Oregon’s 1st District, spent a career championing critical conversation, environmental protection, and humanitarian rights. AuCoin donated his personal papers to the 51³Ô¹Ï Archives in 2022 and Pacific named a Forest Grove Campus building in his honor in 2024.
Tickets for the lecture are free, but advance registration is required. Visit to reserve tickets.