Courses on farm and food politics, literature and nature, and "watershed science for a crowded planet" are just a few of Skidmore's academic offerings that address sustainability issues.- Harvard biologist Peter Girguis to present "Life on the Edge" Sept. 25 Peter Girguis, assistant professor at Harvard University, will present a public lecture, "Life on the Edge: Three Decades of Discovery at Hydrothermal Vents".