Deep Springs College was founded by L.L. Nunn after he brought hydroelectricity to Telluride and the world. Jackson Newell is President Emeritus of Deep Springs and the author of “The Electric Edge of Academe: The Saga of Lucien L. Nunn and Deep Springs College,” a look at the life and legacy of an irrepressible innovator. Pushing against both social convention and technological boundaries, L.L. Nunn left enduring marks on economic and social history, labor development, and, educational reform. The Electric Edge of Academe is a bold portrayal of this progressive-era hydroelectric power magnate who, driven by a dynamic conscience, also became a force for social change and educational experimentation.

Jack Newell is Professor Emeritus at the University of Utah and President Emeritus of Deep Springs College in California, where he served from 1995 to 2004. He continues to write and teach social ethics and educational leadership philosophy at the University of Utah, and American history in the Venture Program for adults seeking a second chance at the Horizonte Center in Salt Lake City. He also serves on the boards for the Utah Humanities Council, the Tanner Lectures on Human Values, the McMurrin Lectures, the Withrow Lectures, and the Virgin River Land Preservation Association.

Born in Dayton, Ohio, Newell pursued his undergraduate degree at Deep Springs College in California and Ohio State University, earned his M.A. at Duke University in American and European history, and his Ph.D. at Ohio State in the history and philosophy of European and American universities. He taught at Clemson University, Deep Springs College, and the University of New Hampshire before moving to the University of Utah. He has held visiting professorships in England, Canada, and New Zealand.