UW News

October 9, 2008

Burke co-sponsors ‘Lucy Talks’ lecture series, opening Oct. 16

The Burke Museum has partnered with the Pacific Science Center to present a series of lectures inspired by Pacific Science Center’s current exhibit, Lucy’s Legacy: the Hidden Treasures of Ethiopia.


The lecture series, “Lucy Talks,” brings five experts in the fields of human evolutionary studies, forensic anthropology and fossil conservation to speak to the public about the latest research in evolutionary anthropology and to discuss how a 3.2 million-year-old hominid fossil named Lucy continues to influence our world today.


On Thursday, Oct. 16, Mark Collard kicks off the series with his presentation From Lucy to Lactose: The Evolution of Human Adaptation. Collard is an associate professor in human evolutionary studies at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. He will discuss how humans have evolved and adapted to a changing world from the emergence of the hominid lineage to the present day.


Each talk features leading experts culminating in a lecture by Donald Johanson, the scientist who discovered Lucy in 1974. This series will offer insights into the way scientists go about the business of collecting and analyzing information and then sharing it with the world:


Nov. 13: Katherine Taylor presents Looking Through Time: How Modern Methods Are Shedding New Light on Old Bones.


Dec. 11: Nancy Odegaard and Vicki Cassman present Travels with Lucy: Or How to Pack when You’re Over 3 Million Years Old.


Jan. 8: Patricia Kramer presents Lucy Walks: Functional Morphology and the Evolution of Bipedalism.


Feb. 5: Donald Johanson presents Lucy’s Legacy.


All talks are at 7 p.m. Thursdays at the Pacific Science Center’s Eames Auditorium, except Johanson’s lecture, which will be in Kane Hall. A ticket is required for admission and ranges from free to $15 depending on the lecture. Tickets are available at Pacific Science Center or by phone at 1-888-772-8491. For more information visit the Pacific Science Center’s Web site.