Alumni Reunion 2009
Thirty Years Exploring Lost Worlds in New Guinea
Bruce Beehler ’74, Senior Research Scientist at Conservation International's Center for Applied Biodiversity Science.
A Watson Fellowship powered Beehler’s first 15-month sojourn on the island of New Guinea, while doctoral work at Princeton led to additional time studying birds of paradise and their strange mating habits and dietary specialties. Since then, he has returned to the island an additional 40 times, averaging 2-3 times per year. Beehler shares highlights of his 30 years, including stories about the chance discovery of the world’s first known poisonous bird, and an expedition to the remote Foja Mountains that led to the discovery of many new species. Through them, he will offer lessons on the environment, the politics of nature conservation, and the urgent need for the conservation of traditional cultures.
Beehler’s most recent book, Lost Worlds (Yale), takes a first-hand look at the world’s tropical rainforests and their importance to human well-being.
Williams Alumni website
|
|
Return to Williams Multimedia
