National Geographic photographer, creator of Photo Ark environmental project to deliver Discovery Lecture for Green Week

October 15, 2014  


Joel Sartore

Joel Sartore 
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A Discovery Lecture offered in conjunction with Purdue University's Green Week 2014 will feature a talk by award-winning National Geographic magazine photographer Joel Sartore at 7 p.m. Monday (Oct. 20) in Purdue Memorial Union's North Ballroom.

The free lecture, titled "Photo Ark: Communicating Science Through the Lens," will explore Sartore's 20-year effort launched in 2008 to document endangered species and landscapes. More than 3,700 species have been photographed to date for Photo Ark.

"We are truly excited to host Joel and hear and see his perspective on resilience and biodiversity, which is brought to life through the camera lens," said political science professor Leigh Raymond, director of the Purdue Center for the Environment in Discovery Park. "His talk and Photo Ark project to document and show a world worth saving will appeal to Purdue students, staff, faculty and community members and be a highlight of our Green Week activities."

With a $1 million gift to Discovery Park from Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment, Purdue launched the Discovery Lecture Series in 2006 to bring prominent speakers to campus.

Other sponsors for the event are Discovery Park's Center for the Environment, the Purdue Office of Sustainability and the Student Sustainability Council. Sartore's talk also is a part of the 2014 ESE Symposium organized by the Department of Ecological Sciences and Engineering.

Purdue Green Week 2014 will carry the themes of energy, water, alternative transportation, food as well as reduce, reuse and recycle. There also will be community service activities focused on tree planting and a Wabash River cleanup effort. For more information and a complete schedule of events, go to http://www.purdue.edu/sustainability/news/getinvolved/greenweek14/index.html.

The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle event on Oct. 23, includes the Purdue Farmers Market at the Memorial Mall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a free screening of the documentary, "Plastic Paradise: The Great Pacific Garbage Path" at 6 p.m. in Stewart Center's Fowler Hall. A panel discussion will follow with filmmaker Angela Sun, who produced "Plastic Paradise," along with Purdue alumnae Holly Chan, Purdue civil engineering professor Larry Nies and Raymond.

Sartore's interest in nature started as a child when he learned about the very last passenger pigeon from one of his mother's "Time Life" picture books.

His assignments have taken him to every continent and to the world's most beautiful and challenging environments, from the High Arctic to the Antarctic. His first National Geographic project introduced him to nature photography, allowing him to see human impact on the environment first-hand.

Sartore, who lives in Nebraska, also has written several books including "RARE: Portraits of America's Endangered Species," "Photographing Your Family" and "Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky." His most recent book is "Let's Be Reasonable," a collection of essays from the "CBS Sunday Morning" show. He also has contributed to Audubon Magazine, Geo, Time, Life, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and numerous book projects.

Discovery Park launched the Global Sustainability Institute (GSI) to coordinate Purdue's research efforts in sustainability challenges such as climate change, energy, food security, the environment and water. In addition to the Center for the Environment, GSI includes the Energy Center, Purdue Water Community, Purdue Climate Change Research Center and the Purdue Center for Global Food Security. 

Writer: Phillip Fiorini, 765-496-3133, pfiorini@purdue.edu

Sources: Leigh Raymond, 765-494-4182, lraymond@purdue.edu

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