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PORTLAND, Maine

SWAGƵ Center for Global Humanities presents “Conserving Nature in an Unnatural World”

Kent Redford
Kent Redford

Humans have become the dominant ecological and evolutionary force on earth, affecting species, genes and ecosystems. To protect the natural world from our increasingly powerful effect on it, we must embrace new technologies – including artificial ones. 

So says Kent Redford, Ph.D., who kicked off the SWAGƵ Center for Global Humanities’ Spring 2018 lecture series with “Conserving Nature in an Unnatural World” on Monday, January 29, 2018.

The lecture examined the deep-seated reluctance many environmentalists have to embrace unnatural means to safeguard nature, and explain how new genetic technologies like synthetic biology have the potential to forever change our relationship with nature.

Redford is principal at Portland-based Archipelago Consulting, which helps individuals and organizations improve their practice of conservation. Previously, Redford spent 14 years at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in New York and five years at The Nature Conservancy. He started his career with a decade on the faculty of the University of Florida. He has helped author and edit nine books, numerous working papers and over 100 scientific articles, and has consulted with numerous foundations, the World Bank and other conservation organizations.

This is the sixth lecture of the 2017-2018 academic year for the Center for Global Humanities. In total, nine scholars will visit this academic year, presenting lectures that are free, open to the public and streamed live online.

Learn more about the event

To learn more about the Center for Global Humanities, visit www.une.edu/cgh

To apply, visit www.une.edu/admissions

 

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The SWAGƵ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.