Vaclav Smil is Distinguished Professor at the University of Manitoba, Canada, and the author of many books, including Energy at the Crossroads: Global Perspectives and Uncertainties (2005), Energy in Nature and Society: General Energetics of Complex Systems (2007), Global Catastrophes and Trends: The Next Fifty Years (2008), and Why America Is Not a New Rome (2010), all published by MIT Press. He was awarded the 2007 Olivia Schieffelin Nordberg Award for excellence in writing and editing in the population sciences.
Robert Meldrum is an actor, director and teacher with over 35 years experience. His TV and film credits include Blue Heelers, Georgia and The Big Steal. Originally a member of the Australian Performing Group at the Pram Factory in Melbourne, he has performed with all the major Australian theatre companies and was a lecturer in acting at the Victorian College of the Arts for eight years.