FARMINGTON — As the University of Maine at Farmington celebrates its first 150 years, the Department of Biology looks forward to what the next century and a half might hold. These intriguing possibilities will be explored with the series “Nature, Nurture and Technology: Biology’s Next 150 Years.”
Events in this fourth academic discipline in the 2013-14 Farmington Forum Series will be held on Monday, Feb. 3; Monday, Feb. 10 and Wednesday, Feb. 12., and are free and open to the public.
To open the series, Aric Rogers, assistant professor of regenerative biology at the Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, will present the keynote presentation, “Aging and Life Expectancy in the 21st Century.” Rogers’ work focuses on understanding how life-extending interventions work across different species and applying what is learned to extend human health and longevity. MDIBL is using the small roundworm to study how gene expression is remodeled under conditions that extend lifespan.
Rogers received his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology and carried out postdoctoral studies at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging under the guidance of Dr. Pankaj Kapahi. He is the recipient of a K99/R00 Transition-to-Independence Award from the NIA/NIH.
Complete schedule of events in the “Nature, Nurture and Technology: Biology’s Next 150 Years” Series:
Monday, Feb. 3
“Nature, Nurture and Technology: Biology’s Next 150 Years”
Keynote presentation by Aric Rogers
7 p.m., Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
Monday, Feb. 10
Reception
6 p.m., North Dining Hall C, UMF Olsen Student Center
“The Next 150 Years in Biology”
Panel discussion with Ronald Butler, UMF professor of biology; Drew Barton, UMF professor of biology; Mary Schwanke, UMF professor of biology; David Maclaren ‘98, Merrimack College, associate professor of biology and Kristin Beale ‘07, postdoctoral research associate at the Harvard Medical School.
7 p.m., Lincoln Auditorium, UMF Roberts Learning Center
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Reception
6 p.m., North Dining Hall C, UMF Olsen Student Center
“Science, Technology and Society: Looking backward to move forward”
Presented by Jim Fleming, a professor of science, technology, and society at Colby College and a visiting scholar at Columbia University in the City of New York. He has written extensively on the history of weather, climate, technology and the environment. His most recent books are” Fixing the Sky: The Checkered History of Weather and Climate Control” (2010) and “Toxic Airs: Body, Place, Planet in Historical Perspective (2014).”
The “Nature, Nurture and Technology: Biology’s Next 150 Years” Farmington Forum Series is sponsored by the UMF Department of Natural Sciences.
Throughout the year, UMF’s Farmington Forum Series will feature a host of special events in the six key academic disciplines of education, psychology, English, biology, mathematics and history. Events will include in-depth lectures by visiting scholars, film and research presentations, art exhibits, panel discussions and alumni receptions.
For additional details, please visit the calendar of events on the UMF 150th Anniversary website at http://150.umf.maine.edu/.
UMF’s Sesquicentennial Celebration is supported in part by the generous donations of area businesses and organizations including Franklin Savings Bank, at the Doctorate Level; Sunday River, at the Master’s Level; and Hight Chevrolet Buick GMC, Kyes Insurance, Shiretown Insurance Agency, University Credit Union and Unity Foundation at the Bachelor’s Level.
