FARMINGTON — Professor Thomas Eastler aimed to make his audience think about survival in a post-petroleum era Wednesday as he delivered “The Last Lecture” at the University of Maine at Farmington.

The Last Lecture is one highlight of the university-wide Michael D. Wilson Symposium held Wednesday at UMF. The day-long event showcases student research and creative achievements and is the culmination of their study throughout the academic year.

Sponsored by UMF’s Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta, the Last Lecture provides a retiring professor “one last opportunity to address the UMF community,” according to the Symposium program.

Eastler, aka Dr. Rock to students in his geology classes over his 41 years at UMF, is retiring this May and was acknowledged as a “highly respected and treasured mentor,” by those students, Sarah Ringer, president of ALD, said as she and Peter Osborne, ALD advisor, introduced him.

“Through his thought provoking and thoroughly engaging lessons, Tom Eastler has become a memorable and favorite professor among students at Farmington,” she said as she emphasized his impact on not only the campus but also the community.

Quoting one anonymous student, in part, Ringer said, “He is an extraordinary professor. He is extremely available and equipped with a rare trait: the ability to explain something ten ways to Sunday if you don’t understand it the first time. He is one of the best.”

Students, faculty and community members filled room C123 of Roberts Learning Center, Eastler’s classroom to hear his “Last Lecture” entitled “The End of the Fossil Fuel Era and Other Resource Issues.”

Given the opportunity to either reflect on what he has learned while at UMF and/or to teach one final life lesson to students, Eastler chose to incite thinking about our energy issues, changes and decisions. Predictions, as early as 1956, forecast peak oil production by 1970 and it did, he said of the use of resources and the steady decline that has followed.

In 1977, Eastler wrote “End of the Fossil Fuel Era” and went to schools and organizations around Franklin County to talk about how to save energy, he said.

How can something so important have so much uncertainty, he said of differing views about peak oil and alternative fuel sources.

Sharing viewpoints and various books available with much humor, Eastler did not provide the answers but told the gathering, “I’ve given you the questions.”

One question to think about is whether your heirs, your children’s children will feel good about the energy decisions being made today, he said.

One student rose to give Eastler an A+ for the presentation.

Ringer also acknowledged Eastler’s involvement in the local community.

Eastler serves as a Chairman of the Sandy River Watershed Association and is a former member of the Farmington Conservation Committee, she said. He is a current member of the Farmington Planning Board.

“He is a former U.S.A. World Cup Racewalk coach, and for more than 30 years, coached high school and college athletes. He has been a tremendous help in developing the racewalking program in the Maine high school outdoor track and field competition schedule,” she said.

This year’s Symposium presented the original research and creative projects of the 2014-15 Michael D. Wilson Scholars and Fellows, senior artists and students from academic interests across campus in the form of papers, oral and poster presentations, original student readings, art gallery exhibits and performances.

The UMF chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta was started in 2007 and has since grown to well over 300 members, both current students and alumni, Osborne said. The chapter inducted 77 new members last Sunday.

ALD is an honor society that recognizes students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average or better sometime during their first year of college.

The UMF chapter has hosted the Last Lecture for the past four years.

“The tradition of inviting a retiring faculty member or administrator to impart their wisdom to their university community is one that has been repeated at many institutions throughout the nation and world,” Osborne said.

[email protected]