Dr. Douglas Whitman Department of Biological Sciences Illinois State University Sunday, 9 September 1995 2:00 pm Monmouth County Library 125 Symmes Drive Manalapan, NJ 07726 908-431-7220 Free and Open to the Public
We are living in the 'age of insects.' In terms of species, they are the dominant life form on our planet. How did insects come to be so diverse? What attributes have allowed them to outnumber all other species on earth by nearly 3:1? This talk will explore the unique features of insects that have facilitated their evolutionary success and made them humankind's greatest competitors.
Dr. Whitman is an associate professor of biology at Illinois State University. He received his undergraduate degree in Entomology & Chemistry from California State University at San Jose, and his Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of California at Berkeley. Dr. WhitmanÕs extensive research accomplishments have resulted in numerous technical articles and book chapters. His research has taken him to Australia, Tahiti, and Papua New Guinea, where he investigated, among other subjects, the use of insects as human food (he reports that wasp larvae are delicious). He is also an accomplished nature photographer whose photographs are found in a broad range of popular and scientific works.
The Norman J Field Lectures in Science were established in 1991 in memory of Dr. Norman J Field, and are cosponsored by the Monmouth County Section of the American Chemical Society, the Monmouth Junior Science Symposium, the Friends of the Monmouth County Library Association, the Monmouth County School Boards Association, and by the Rutgers University Chapter of Sigma Xi, an international scientific research society. Dr. Field was widely recognized for his contributions in the area of public education. He maintained a lifelong personal and professional interest in scientific issues. It is hoped that this lecture series will serve to promote similar interest in science and science education among both younger and older members of the community.
For additional information please contact: Ken Field fieldk@att.net