Wells Reserve will present a virtual lecture by Dr. Jessica Reilly Moman titled, The Human Dimensions of Offshore Wind, noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, on Zoom.

Wells Reserve will present a virtual lecture by Dr. Jessica Reilly Moman titled, The Human Dimensions of Offshore Wind, noon to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, on Zoom. Contributed / University of Maine

Offshore wind energy, according to a news release, could help mitigate climate change at a large scale, but relatively little is known about how ocean wind farms will affect the Gulf of Maine and the many people who rely on it. Reilly-Moman will present the findings of her research on the fit of offshore wind with Maine’s coastal communities. She will share background on projects in Maine and around the world and discuss the values, perspectives, and unanswered questions shared by many of Maine’s residents.

She will also discuss potential pathways forward for better engagement around offshore wind and how communities can potentially use the opportunity to address foundational needs. Already sparking much interest and debate in Maine communities, the topic of offshore wind has become even more complex with the administration’s recent move to halt further development of such projects.

The presentation will be held virtually on Zoom and admission is free. To register for the Zoom link, visit wellsreserve.org/calendar.

Reilly-Moman is a social scientist, political ecologist and writer working to accelerate equitable climate action for coastal and ocean communities. For the past 25 years, she has worked throughout the Americas, Europe, and Africa to balance development with natural resource conservation and human well-being.

For her PhD, she sailed her 39-foot sloop Oleada over 6,000 nautical miles to report on how people were adapting to climate change in Latin America. She focuses on climate justice and elevating practitioner knowledge, from nature-based solutions to offshore wind.

Reilly-Moman has worked closely with the Maine Climate Council since its inception, and in 2024 facilitated and co-authored the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee 2024 Update. She is the director of the Center for Climate and Community at Island Institute, working to support clean energy transitions and climate resilience actions for Maine’s coastal and island communities.