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‘Adventures with Reptiles and Amphibians’ launches new environmental lecture series | |
| By Laurie J. Anderson |
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The presentation, titled “Discovering Hidden Biodiversity in the World around Us: Adventures with Reptiles and Amphibians,” is the first public lecture sponsored by the Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Processes in conjunction with the Georgia Museum of Natural History and the Friends of the Museum. It is also the first of a planned series of talks on the environment geared toward the general public. “Whit is a dynamic speaker, very down-to-earth,” says Bud Freeman, director of the museum. “He explains things in a way that’s easy to understand by a broad audience. I’ve seen him give talks and everybody’s spellbound. I think people will come away with an appreciation of conservation issues and the sheer amount of biodiversity that’s often overlooked.” “Whit is one of the most accomplished public speakers in Georgia,” agrees Mark Hunter, director of the Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Processes, adding that Gibbons “was chosen because of his outstanding contributions to the field of biodiversity in the Southeast” and also because he is known for giving “dynamite presentations.” Some of the dynamite may be due to Gibbons’s frequent use of live animals to demonstrate a point, or to his stories of close encounters with large rattlesnakes or the ecdysiast who asked for advice on how to stop her boa from biting when onstage. Gibbons’s nonhuman guests have been known to interact with the public, too. “Once during an outreach talk Whit put a huge bullfrog on the table,” says graduate student Kimberly Andrews, who works with Gibbons. “We spent the entire talk chasing it around.” Gibbons is professor of ecology at UGA’s Savannah River Ecology Lab. His commentaries have been heard on National Public Radio, and recent honors include the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association’s First Place Award for the Best Radio Program. |
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