This new lecture series was begun in 2005 to foster excellence by bringing to campus individuals who have achieved special recognition and prominence in their chosen fields of endeavor and to enhance the interaction of these people with members of the K-State community. The speakers are chosen by the University Distinguished Professors and the series is sponsored by the Office of the Provost. Specific information about each lecture and speaker is included below. Presentations will be aired over Cable channel 8 and video recordings are available for checkout from Hale Library.
3:30 p.m. Thursday, September 20th
Fiedler Auditorium
Ruth DeFries is a professor at the University of Maryland, College Park with joint appointments in the Department of Geography and the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center. Her research investigates the relationships between human activities, the land surface, and the biophysical and biogeochemical processes that regulate the Earth's habitability. She is interested in observing land cover and land use change at regional and global scales with remotely sensed data and exploring the implications for ecological services such as climate regulation, the carbon cycle, and biodiversity.
Dr. DeFries obtained a Ph.D. in 1980 from the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering at Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor's degree in 1976 from Washington University with a major in earth science. She is a fellow of the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program and was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 2006.