Press Release
McGuire Center presents public lecture by renowned ecologist
For Immediate Release Sept 23, 2005
Contact:
Paul Ramey, Dir. of Marketing and Public Relations
Florida Museum of Natural History
(352) 846-2000, ext. 218, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Lauren Williams
GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The Florida Museum of Natural History's McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity will sponsor a free public lecture at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2 in the J. Wayne Reitz Union Auditorium by world-renowned ecologist Daniel Janzen.
Janzen, the University of Pennsylvania DiMaura professor of conservation biology, will discuss "Conservation, caterpillar inventory and DNA barcoding of a large complex tropical wildland." The lecture is free and open to the public.
Janzen has 50 years of experience as a tropical ecologist with an emphasis on preservation and biodiversity. With more than 400 publications on the subjects, he is considered an expert in the fields of tropical science administration and conservation biology. Janzen has received many awards throughout his career, including the first Crafoord Prize in biology by the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences (1984), the Kyoto Prize in Basic Biology (1997), and the John Scott Award of the City of Philadelphia for activities good for humankind (2003).
A member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, his activities have had a positive influence on society's awareness of the relevance and potential of conservation of tropical wildland biodiversity for global understanding, national sustainable development, and individual quality of life, both inside and outside of the tropics.
His current focus is caterpillar biodiversity, the combination of conservation and biodiversity development, and facilitating global bioliteracy through the emergence of the ability of all people to be able to identify any organism through DNA barcoding.
-30-
The Florida Museum of Natural History is Florida's state natural history museum, dedicated to understanding, preserving and interpreting biological diversity and cultural heritage. It is located near the intersection of Southwest 34th Street and Hull Road in the University of Florida Cultural Plaza in Gainesville. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The Florida Museum is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Butterfly Rainforest admission is $7.50 for adults and $4.50 for children ages 3-12. For more information, including directions and parking information, call (352) 846-2000, or visit the museum online, www.flmnh.ufl.edu.