Conservationist Jane Goodall coming to DPU to deliver Ubben Lecture on April 17

Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall, who has been called "the Einstein of behavioral sciences," will deliver an Ubben Lecture at DePauw University on Wednesday, April 17.

The world-renowned conservationist and founder of the Jane Goodall Institute will discuss "Making a Difference" in an 8 p.m. address in Neal Fieldhouse, located within DePauw's Lilly Physical Education and Recreation Center.

Like all Ubben Lectures, the April event is presented free of admission charge and is open to all.

In the summer of 1960, the 26-year-old Goodall arrived on the shore of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa to study the area's chimpanzee population. Although it was unheard of for a woman to venture into the wilds of the African forest, the trip meant fulfillment of her childhood dream.

As she first surveyed the mountains and valley forests of the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve, Goodall had no idea her efforts would come to redefine the relationship between humans and animals or that her project would continue into the 21st century.

One of Dr. Goodall's most significant discoveries came in her first year at Gombe when she saw chimps stripping leaves off stems to make the stems useful for fishing termites out of nearby mounds. Subsequent observations of chimps making and using tools would force science to rethink the definition that separated man from other animals: "Man the toolmaker."

Dr. Goodall also observed chimps hunting and eating bushpigs and other animals, disproving the widely held belief that chimpanzees were primarily vegetarians.

Goodall defied scientific convention by giving the chimpanzees names instead of numbers, and insisted on the validity of her observations that the chimps had distinct personalities, minds and emotions.

Through the years her work yielded surprising insights such as the discovery chimpanzees engage in warfare.

Dr. Goodall established the Gombe Stream Research Center in 1964. Under the stewardship of Tanzanian field staff and other researchers, it continues Goodall's work today, making it one of the longest uninterrupted wildlife studies in existence.

In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation to provide ongoing support for field research on wild chimpanzees. Today, the mission of the Jane Goodall Institute is to advance the power of individuals to take informed and compassionate action to improve the environment for all living things.

The Institute is a leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats and is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa and the Roots & Shoots education program in nearly 100 countries.

Dr. Goodall's scores of honors include the Medal of Tanzania, the National Geographic Society's Hubbard Medal, Japan's prestigious Kyoto Prize, the Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research 2003, the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Life Science, and the Gandhi/King Award for Nonviolence.

In April 2002 Secretary-General Annan named Dr. Goodall a United Nations "Messenger of Peace." Messengers help mobilize the public to become involved in work that makes the world a better place. In 2003, Queen Elizabeth II named Dr. Goodall a Dame of the British Empire, the equivalent of a knighthood.

Dr. Goodall's list of publications is extensive, including two overviews of her work at Gombe -- "In the Shadow of Man" and "Through a Window" -- as well as two autobiographies in letters and a spiritual autobiography, "Reason for Hope," along with "Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating."

Most recently, Dr. Goodall wrote "Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink."

The cinematic biography "Jane's Journey," which included appearances by Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie and Pierce Brosnan, was released last year. She has also been the subject of numerous TV documentaries and is featured in the 2002 film "Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees."

In her appearances around the world, Goodall regularly speaks about the threats facing chimpanzees, other environmental crises, and shares her message of hope for the future.

She has stated, "What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."

Established in 1986 through the generous support of 1958 DePauw graduates Timothy H. and Sharon Williams Ubben, the Ubben Lecture Series was designed to "bring the world to Greencastle" and presents events which are available for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the local community to enjoy.

Previous Ubben Lecturers have included Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Mikhail Gorbachev, Margaret Thatcher, Benazir Bhutto, Gen. Colin Powell, John Major, Barbara Bush, Spike Lee, Mike Krzyzewski, Ross Perot, Candy Crowley, Jason Reitman, Mitch Albom, Peyton Manning, Gen. Wesley Clark, Andrew Young, Todd Rundgren, Shimon Peres, Bob Woodward, Ralph Nader, Harry Belafonte, Jane Pauley and many others.

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  • My Hero! Color us there!!! Thank you DPU

    -- Posted by ladyinthewoods on Wed, Nov 28, 2012, at 6:00 AM
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