For 17 years, John Francis didn’t speak. During his silent years, he earned a master’s degree in environmental studies and a doctorate in land resources. And during those years, he traveled the width of the lower 48 states by foot and walked to South America, earning the nickname planetwalker.  

Today, Francis is speaking and sharing what he’s learned from his experiences, and he’ll do so at UVM in a talk, “Planetwalking: Redefining Environment,” Thursday, Dec. 4 at 11:30 a.m. in 102 Aiken Center. The event is free and open to the public.