[applause] thanks to all of you for coming out on this balmy evening for a conversation on the history of a very cold place. Were proud to present jon gertners new book, the ice at the end of the world, which tells the story of how people have encountered, studied, settled and been unsettled by the great ice sheet that covers greenland, the worlds large island, and of what changes to the ice sheet can tell us about the ongoing impact of Global Warming on sea levels and what it threatens for the future of civilization. My name is salvatore, director of the coleman center. Please take this moment to silence your cell phones. Before we begin tonights program, we really must take a moment to reflect on some recent news. Last friday, as many of you know, louis cullman, our founding benefactor and friend, died. He was 100 years old. It was his and his wife dorothys ingenious generosity that made this center possible. It was, in fact, dorothys idea that the place should include creative write