Athens, Ga. – William H. Schlesinger, president of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, will present the 25th annual Odum Lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at the University of Georgia’s Eugene P. Odum School of Ecology. Schlesinger’s presentation, “Better Living Through Biogeochemistry,” will take place at 11:15 a.m. in the ecology building auditorium.
Schlesinger’s work explores the links between biogeochemistry- the study of the relationship between biological, geological, and chemical elements in natural ecosystems- and global climate change. Much of his recent work has focused on the role of soil and trees in affecting atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide.
Schlesinger is the author of a widely used textbook, Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change, and the author or co-author of more than 200 scientific papers on subjects focusing on environmental chemistry and global change. He also has written numerous editorials and columns for newspapers including the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, and Philadelphia Inquirer. His research has been featured on NOVA, CNN, NPR, and published in Discover, National Geographic, and Scientific American magazines.
Honoring the founder of the School of Ecology, the annual Eugene P. Odum Lecture Series features speakers who address significant ecological questions in broad social and intellectual contexts. The twenty-four previous Odum lectures have been given by preeminent scholars including biologists Gretchen Daily and Jim Brown, botanist Peter Raven, conservation ecologist Thomas Lovejoy, and then-director of the National Science Foundation Rita Colwell.
This year’s Odum Lecture is supported in part with funding from the Eugene P. and William E. Odum Endowment, along with contributors Terry L. and Gary W. Barrett.
