Thursday, March 01, 2007

Wilmington, N.C. - E.O. Wilson, a world-renowned biologist whose groundbreaking research, original thinking and popular and scientific writing have changed the way people think about nature, will speak at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 19 in Kenan Auditorium as part of the UNCW Leadership Lecture Series. The UNCW Honors Scholars Program and Environmental Studies are co-sponsoring the talk.

A professor at Harvard University for four decades, Wilson has won two Pulitzer Prizes, written 20 books, discovered hundreds of new species and received many of the world's leading prizes in science and conservation. Since editing the book Biodiversity (1984), which introduced the term and brought worldwide attention to the topic, Wilson has been considered by many to be the "father of biodiversity."

Wilson opened a new field of science with Sociobiology: A New Synthesis (1975). In the book, he argues that social animals, including humans, behave largely according to rules written in their genes. The book initially sparked considerable controversy because it appeared to contradict notions of free will and suggest a biological basis for superiority; it has since become widely accepted and has paved the way for modern behavioral biology.

In Consilience: The Unity of Knowledge (1998), Wilson delves into the philosophy of knowledge and science, arguing for the unification of the humanities and science into a coherent body of knowledge. The Future of Life (2002), focuses on the state of the natural environment, analyzing the threat to our biosphere and offering a set of recommendations for life on Earth. His most recent book, The Creation (2006), Wilson sounds the alarm that the earth is in danger and its destruction threatens us all-no matter what we believe about its origins. The fate of the planet rests in our hands, he writes, and the only way the earth can be saved is if science and religion join forces.

Wilson won a Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for On Human Nature and another Pulitzer in 1990 for The Ants, co-authored by Bert Holldobler. He has been a pioneer in researching the physiology, evolution, taxonomy, life cycles, chemical communication and social organization of social insects.

BOX OFFICE AND TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are $7 for the general public and free for UNCW students, faculty and staff. Call Kenan Box Office at 910.962.3500 or 800.732.3643 outside the Wilmington area. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

About the UNCW Leadership Lecture Series

The Leadership Lecture Series invites nationally and internationally-known speakers who enlighten, challenge, inspire, and demonstrate that all people have the ability to lead if they have the desire to make a difference. Sponsored by UNCW Presents, the series serves as a forum for intellectual inquiry and discussion offering the campus and community opportunities to discuss and explore the political, cultural, and economic trends and issues that shape and affect our communities today. By inviting a speaker to the campus, the university does not endorse any particular position. For more information about the series, please visit www.uncw.edu/presents.

Media Contact: Shannon Hooker, 910.962.7600, hookers@uncw.edu