Scientist Jared Diamond To Speak at Alma College
Alma College will observe next year’s 200th birthday of Charles
Darwin with a campus presentation by one of the world’s most well-known
science celebrities.
Jared Diamond, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
and world renowned for his work in the fields of ecology and
evolutionary biology, will be the keynote speaker for the 2009 Robert
D. Swanson Responsible Leadership Speaker Series.
Diamond’s talk on Oct. 14, 2009 in the Remick Heritage Center also coincides with the 150th anniversary of Darwin’s 1859 book, On the Origin of Species.
Jared Diamond
“Dr.
Diamond is one of America’s most celebrated scholars,” says President
Saundra Tracy. “His talks routinely draw large numbers of
listeners who gain a deeper understanding of the development of human
civilizations. He remains a popular speaker because of his ability to
easily explain major patterns in human history.”
The Darwin anniversaries provide an historical context for Diamond’s
presentation at Alma College, says Jamie Smith, the faculty member who
is coordinating his visit to campus.
“We are extremely fortunate and excited about hosting this internationally prominent scientist and scholar,” says Smith.
Diamond is known for his ground-breaking studies of the birds of Papua
New Guinea. His field experiences include 17 expeditions to New Guinea
and
neighboring islands to study ecology and evolution of birds. He also
has been involved in numerous other field projects in North America,
South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Currently a professor of geography at UCLA, Diamond also is the author of other best-selling books, including The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal, Why Is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality and, most recently, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.
He has received some of the world’s most prestigious awards, including
a MacArthur Foundation genius grant and the National Medal of Science,
America’s highest civilian award in science.
The Swanson Responsible Leadership Speaker Series at Alma College
brings prominent leaders to campus for discussions on related topics.
Past speakers include former President of Mexico Vicente Fox in 2008,
former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in 2007 and former
presidential candidates and U.S. Senators Robert Dole and George
McGovern in 2006.
The speaker series is part of the Alma College Center for Responsible
Leadership, which encompasses a large network of leadership-development
opportunities for all Alma students, regardless of academic major or
degree.
Posted: Tue, December 9th, 2008 at 3:36PM
