Susie P. Gonzalez

210-999-8406

susie.gonzalez@trinity.edu

Scientists to Share Research on Range of Topics

August 23, 2002  – From species extinction to major floods to chaos theory, guest speakers coming this academic year to Trinity University will cover a range of science topics that impact our lives. The 2002-03 Distinguished Science Lecture Series will open Sept. 30 with Peter Raven, one of the world’s leading botanists and advocates of conservation and biodiversity, who will examine the global ecological basis for sustaining our economic and social health. Victor R. Baker, a leading hydrologist and professor in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Arizona, will be on campus Nov. 11, to discuss the emergence of major floods in relation to climate change and human activities. On Feb. 10, Heinz-Otto Peitgen, professor of mathematics, will discuss how mathematical chaos theory solves problems in technology, medicine, and finance. Each lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. in Trinity’s Laurie Auditorium and is free to the public. Dr. Raven, director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, will speak on “Global Sustainability: Are We Going the Way of the Dinosaurs?” His lecture will focus on the negative impacts that environmental degradation will have on our future security, health, and prosperity. He believes that as long as half of the human population is malnourished and lives on less than $2 a day, people in the United States will be unable to live in a peaceful and secure world. Among the greatest threats to our future security, prosperity, and health is the rate of species extinction. The rate of species extinction has risen about a thousand-fold, so that a very large proportion of all living plants, animals, and microorganisms, most of them unknown to science, are likely to become extinct in this century and we will lose the opportunity to benefit from this rich biological heritage. To insure the security and prosperity of our children and grandchildren, Raven believes that we must begin now to address these problems at an individual, national, and global level. Dr. Raven, who holds an endowed chair as professor of botany at Washington University, was described by Time magazine as a “Hero for the Planet,” Dr. Raven champions research around the world to preserve endangered plants and is a leading advocate for conservation and a sustainable environment. He has written numerous books and publications, including Biology of Plants (co-authored with Ray Evert and Susan Eichhorn,) the best-selling textbook in botany, and Environment, a leading textbook on the environment. Dr. Raven received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, after completing his undergraduate work at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Raven’s visit to San Antonio is being jointly sponsored by the San Antonio Botanical Garden, which is simultaneously featuring an exhibit showcasing prehistoric flora and fauna that is titled “Dinosaurus Tex: Giants in Our Backyard.” Dr. Baker, a Regents' Professor and head of the department of hydrology and water resources at the University of Arizona, will discuss a topic that will be of great interest to every resident of Central Texas - “Superfloods.” He will explain that although climate change has contributed to catastrophic flooding, land development and flood-control practices have made the greatest contribution to floods and their social impacts. Baker has worked as a hydrologist and geophysicist for the U.S. Geological Survey, as the city geologist of Boulder, Colo., and as a research scientist for the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 research papers and chapters, plus numerous reports, reviews, and encyclopedia articles. He received a B.S. in geology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Colorado. Dr. Peitgen, the founder and president of the Center for Medical Diagnostic Systems and Visualization, will speak on “Harnessing Chaos.”  Chaos theory has recently emerged as a major mathematical tool for understanding aspects of the natural world as well as an exciting new field of mathematics. This mathematical theory allows us to understand such phenomena as self-organized growth and pattern formation processes. It has been successfully applied to practical problems in technology, medicine, and finance, including computer-aided surgery and exploration of stock market charts. Dr. Peitgen studied mathematics, physics, and economics in Bonn and earned his doctorate in mathematics from the University of Bonn. He has published 21 books and more than 150 research papers. He is the co-editor of eight international scientific journals. Dr. Peitgen has won numerous awards and prizes, including the German Federal Republic First Class Order of Merit for his achievements in science and research in computer-aided radiology. Doors to Laurie Auditorium will open at 7 p.m. on the day of each lecture. The lecture series is made possible by an endowment gift from Mr. and Mrs. Walter F. Brown of San Antonio. Mr. Brown is a Trinity University Trustee.

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Last updated on September 10, 2002 by the Office of Public Relations