Florida Museum Pressroom » adults

East coast butterflies topic of Fla. Museum lecture April 23

Gerber,Logan R — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 14:58:58 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Author Rick Cech will share facts and photos from his book “Butterflies of the East Coast: An Observer’s Guide” from 2-3 p.m. April 23 as part of the Florida Museum’s Science Sunday lecture series. During his presentation in the Lucille T. Maloney classroom, Cech will discuss both common and rare butterflies and their complex behavior. Following the lecture, he will offer a book signing. Books are available for purchase in the Florida Museum Collectors Shop.

Science Sunday allows adults to enjoy stimulating lectures while children are entertained with free, age-appropriate activities on related themes guided by Florida Museum docents and staff. Children will be returned to parents following the lecture and prior to the book signing.

Media contact: Paul Ramey, (352) 846-2000, pramey@ufl.edu

Fla. Museum April 9 lecture explores fossil teeth research on ancient ecology

Gerber,Logan R — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 15:07:55 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida/Florida Museum of Natural History Ph.D. student Larisa Grawe DeSantis will describe research to reconstruct ancient environments from tapir teeth from 2-3 p.m. April 9 as part of the Florida Museum’s Science Sunday lecture series.

The presentation, “Reconstructing Past Environments: Utilizing Fossil Teeth to Infer Ancient Ecology,” will discuss how fossils from the eastern United States are being used to recreate the density of forests and grasslands during the Neogene period, and why tapirs are particularly helpful in revealing secrets of the past.

Science Sunday allows adults to enjoy lectures while children are entertained with free, age-appropriate activities on related themes guided by Florida Museum docents and staff. Children will be returned to parents following the lecture.

Media contact: Paul Ramey, (352) 846-2000, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Lauren Williams

Florida Museum presents ‘Revealing the Deep’ lecture March 30 by Daniel Fornari

Gerber,Logan R — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 15:09:56 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Explore the new science behind mysterious black smokers–deep-sea hot water vents–and exotic tubeworms as Daniel J. Fornari, director of the Deep Ocean Exploration Institute, discusses 21st-century ocean science and technology at 6 p.m. March 30. Fornari’s lecture, “Revealing the Deep: the 21st Century Revolution in Ocean Science and Technology,” will be held at the Florida Museum of Natural History as part of its Museum Nights program.

Fornari holds the W. Van Allen Clark Senior Scientist Chair at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He is internationally recognized for his research in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans on volcanic and hydrothermal processes and on the structure and magmatic processes at oceanic transforms and islands, such as Hawaii and the Galapagos. In 2000, he co-developed “Dive and Discover,” an education and outreach Web site for school science enrichment.

After Fornari’s presentation, Florida Museum of Natural History Molecular Lab Curator Pam Soltis will dissect myth from reality in “The Relic” beginning at 8 p.m. The discussion will be followed by a public screening of the R-rated horror film “The Relic.”

Funded by UF Student Government, Museum Nights strives to increase student and community visitation at the UF Cultural Plaza, located near the intersection of Southwest 34th Street and Hull Road. It serves as an entertainment alternative for Thursday nights in Gainesville and offers individuals who are too busy during the day the opportunity to visit the museums in the evening. For more information and a complete schedule, visit the UF Student Government Web site at www.sg.ufl.edu.

Media contact: Paul Ramey, (352) 846-2000, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Emily Banks

Wild Florida frontier topic of Florida Museum lecture Feb. 19

Gerber,Logan R — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 18:01:46 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Museum of Natural History Curator of Archaeology Jerald T. Milanich will share stories and antics from his newly released book from 2-3 p.m. Feb. 19 as part of the Florida Museum’s Science Sunday lecture series. Following the lecture, Milanich will offer a book signing. Books are available for purchase in the Florida Museum’s Collectors Shop.

Milanich’s book, “Frolicking Bears, Wet Vultures and Other Oddities: A New York City Journalist in Nineteenth-Century Florida,” compiles the wanderings and musings of Amos Jay Cummings as he explores the Florida frontier in the late 1800s. Through his book, Milanich uncovers how Cummings’ writing about “bruins and buzzards; rednecks and racists; murderers and mosquitoes; rich soils and poor souls” reveals the untamed frontier that once was Florida.

During his career, which spans more than three decades, Milanich has published more than 190 books, articles and other publications, received 64 academic grants and supervised more than 100 graduate students — many who currently practice archaeology in Florida and throughout the Americas. His role as Bullen Series editor for the University Press of Florida, as well as other editorial positions, have helped disseminate Florida archaeology information globally.

Media Contact: Paul Ramey, (352) 846-2000, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Emily Banks

Florida Museum presents adult basket weaving class Nov. 8

Gerber,Logan R — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 17:57:02 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History will offer an adult pine needle basket weaving class by local fiber artist Nancy Gildersleeve from 1 to 4 p.m. Nov. 8.

Gildersleeve will share techniques using raffia, needles and creativity to teach participants old and new methods for weaving this popular Florida basket style.

The cost, including supplies, is $25 for Florida Museum members and $30 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call (352) 846-2000, ext. 277 or visit http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/education/adult_classes.htm.

Media Contact: Paul Ramey, (352) 846-2000, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Emily Banks

Florida Museum offers botanical illustration adult class

Gerber,Logan R — Fri, 07 Oct 2005 17:57:49 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History will offer a botanical watercolor illustration adult class 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 22 and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 23.

Natural science illustrator Susan Trammell will lead the two-day workshop for people of all skill levels. Participants will learn to translate botany to brush stroke and to master plant observation techniques in the University of Florida Natural Area Teaching Laboratory behind the Florida Museum.

The cost, including supplies, is $90 for Florida Museum members and $110 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Participants must bring a lunch on Saturday. For more information, call (352) 846-2000, ext. 277 or visit http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/education/adult_classes.htm.

Media Contact: Paul Ramey, (352) 846-2000, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Emily Banks

Fla. Museum presents adult palm weaving class, demonstration

Gerber,Logan R — Fri, 08 Apr 2005 17:35:23 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History will offer a palm weaving class and demonstration for adults from 1 – 3:30 p.m. on April 20. Nancy Gildersleeve, a Gainesville artist who specializes in basket weaving, will lead the class.

For centuries, useful and decorative objects, such as rope, mats, baskets, roofs, toys and ornaments, have been crafted from palm fronds and fiber. Participants will see examples of these palm crafts and learn to make their own. Guests also will take a docent-led tour of the Florida Museum’s Southwest Florida People and Environments exhibition hall to see how the Calusa Indians used the Sabal palmetto, Florida’s state tree.

Registration is $5 and pre-registration is recommended. For more information call (352) 846-2000, ext. 277 or visit http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/education/classes/adlt_palm.htm.

Contact: Paul Ramey, (352) 846-2000, pramey@ufl.edu
Writer: Kristin Ede

Fla. Museum spring adult class teaches pine needle crafts

Gerber,Logan R — Fri, 28 Jan 2005 18:25:40 +0000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Museum of Natural History will offer a spring adult class led by Nancy Gildersleeve, “Making Pine Needle Baskets,” from 1 – 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 23.

The class will give a brief history of pine needle craft, which was popular in Florida in the 1950s and 60s. Participants will learn to make a pine needle basket using raffia, a tapestry needle and long leaf pine needles. Gildersleeve also will lead a tour of the Pearsall Collection of American Indian Art exhibit for inspiration.

Registration is $18 for members and $20 for non-members and pre-registration is required. The class fee includes basket supplies.

Other adult classes will be offered throughout the spring and include another Gildersleeve demonstration, “The Versatile Palm,” on April 20 and “Butterfly Gardening in Spring” on April 23 and 30 and May 7 and 14. For more information call (352) 846-2000, ext. 277 or visit http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/education/adult_classes.htm.

Writer: Kristin Ede
Media Contact: Paul Ramey, pramey@flmnh.ufl.edu