March 4, 2004

'Father of Biodiversity' E.O. Wilson Speaks At Boise State April 14

E.O. Wilson, a world-renowned biologist whose groundbreaking research, original thinking and popular and scientific writing have changed the way people think about nature, will speak April 14 at Boise State University as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series. Wilson’s free lecture, “The Future of Life,” is at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Jordan Ballroom, and is geared for a general audience. The public is invited and no tickets are required. A professor at Harvard University for four decades, Wilson has won two Pulitzer Prizes, written 20 books, discovered hundreds of new species and received many of the world’s leading prizes in science and conservation. Since editing the book Biodiversity (1984), which introduced the term and brought worldwide attention to the topic, Wilson has been considered by many to be the “father of biodiversity.” “E.O. Wilson is truly one of the intellectual giants of the past century, and he has had a profound effect on many fields of study. He is a writer and speaker of grace, coherence and passion, with a remarkable ability to connect scientific details to daily life,” said Helen Lojek, an English professor and chair of the Distinguished Lecture Series committee. “We are very excited to bring him to Boise State as part of the lecture series.” Wilson opened a new field of science with Sociobiology: A New Synthesis (1975). In the book, he argues that social animals, including humans, behave largely according to rules written in their genes. The book initially sparked considerable controversy because it appeared to contradict notions of free will and suggest a biological basis for superiority; it has since become widely accepted and has paved the way for modern behavioral biology. In Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (1998), Wilson delves into the philosophy of knowledge and science, arguing for the unification of the humanities and science into a coherent body of knowledge. His most recent book, The Future of Life (2002), focuses on the state of the natural environment, analyzing the threat to our biosphere and offering a set of recommendations for life on Earth. Wilson won a Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for On Human Nature and another Pulitzer in 1990 for The Ants, co-authered by Bert Holldobler. He has been a pioneer in researching the physiology, evolution, taxonomy, life cycles, chemical communication and social organization of social insects. Two videotapes featuring Wilson and a copy of "The Future of Life" are on reserve at the Albertsons Library and are available for viewing prior to Wilson's lecture. All three items are on reserve under "Distinguished Lecture Series." The student-funded Distinguished Lecture Series brings to campus speakers who have had a significant impact in politics, the arts or the sciences. More information on Wilson and the lecture series is at http://news.boisestate.edu/dls/. -30- Contact Helen Lojek English 208 426-1328 hlojek@boisestate.edu Media contact Janelle Brown communications and marketing 208 426-1790 jbrown2@boisestate.edu