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Saving the Earth, One Speech at a Time
Phi Beta Kappa scholar opened second Presidential Lecture & Performance Series.
Written by Christy Hammett
Pamela Soltis discussed how human activities continue to endanger Earth’s living beings.
Texas Tech’s 2007 Presidential Lecture & Performance Series’ opening event featured Pamela Soltis, a Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar.
Soltis lectured on how human activities continue to endanger Earth’s living beings. She also discussed how scientists are discovering new ways to use DNA to assess plant divergence in habitats and come up with new management methods for reintroducing extinct species back into their native habitats.
“Endangered species often have less genetic variation than their widespread relatives, and this reduced gene pool may limit their ability to adapt to new environments,” Soltis said. “Genetic analyses of rare species may reveal cryptic patterns of variation that might not otherwise be evident.”
Soltis explained that conservation managers may use the genetic data to prioritize populations for conservation, to select populations for enhancement and to choose genotypes for reintroductions or establishment of new populations.
Soltis is curator of the Laboratory of Molecular Systematics and Evolutionary Genetics at the Florida Museum of Natural History at the University of Florida. Her research interests include the evolution of the flower and conservation genetics of rare plant species.
This fall, the series will bring leading scholars and artists to mingle with Texas Tech’s own distinguished faculty, students and staff to exchange expertise, research and talents.
“In the second year, we’ve continued to seek programs with a broad appeal,” said Mary Jane Hurst, performance series organizer and faculty assistant to the president. “We’re going to continue to get all parts of the campus involved by seeking events with specific academic connections. That is how the series is different from just an entertainment venue.”
Hurst said the series seeks to enrich the lives of Texas Tech University students, faculty, staff and citizens of the Lubbock community.
Related
Read about all of the venues of the Second Presidential Lecture & Performance Series.
For more information, visit the Presidential Lecture & Performance Series Web site or contact Mary Jane Hurst, faculty assistant to the president, (806)742-2121 or maryjane.hurst@ttu.edu.