NYS MUSEUM'S FALL LECTURES FOCUS ON ADIRONDACKS
ALBANY – As part of the continuing Museum Series, the New York State Museum will present weekly lectures through mid-December focusing on the “Adirondacks: Research and Collections at the State Museum.”
The lectures will be presented by Museum scientists and curators beginning Wednesday, September 28th and continue through December 14th. All lectures are free and take place in the Museum Theater at 7 p.m. There are no programs on October 12 and November 23. Free parking is available next to the Museum.
Lecture topics and dates are:
September 28 “1.3 Billion Years of Adirondack Geology.” Beginning with a massive collision of ancient North America with the Amazon heartland, State Paleontologist Dr. Ed Landing will relate modern scenery, lakes and roads in the Adirondacks to 1.3 billion years of geologic history.
Wednesday, October 5 “Summer Sketches: Rufus Grider at Piseco Lake.” Senior Historian Ron Burch will present the Museum’s collection of pen-and-ink sketches of Piseco Lake by Canajoharie drawing instructor Rufus Alexander Grider (1817–1900).
Wednesday, October 19 “Largemouth Bass: The End of Angling as We Know It.” Dr. Robert Daniels, curator of ichthyology, will detail the effect that a stocked largemouth bass population has had in several lakes in the Adirondack Park and explore the changes that have occurred throughout the park from stocking non-native fish. Wednesday, October 26 “Obscure Beauty: Wild Orchids in the Adirondacks.” Curious features of the biology of orchids result in contrasts that created more than three dozen species of this primarily tropical family in our region. Dr. Charles Sheviak, curator of botany, will provide a photo-introduction to the plants and their habitats.
Wednesday, November 2 “Mining History of the Adirondacks.” Mining has been an integral part of the Adirondack economy for two centuries. New York State Geologist Dr. William Kelly presents an overview of mineral extraction in the North Country.
Wednesday, November 9 “The Adirondack Great Camps and Their Furnishings.” The environment of wilderness living influenced the design of both structures and furnishings at camps constructed in the Adirondacks by wealthy families during the Gilded Age. Curator of Decorative Arts John Scherer will explore the phenomena of the Great Camps and their rustic furnishings.
Wednesday, November 16 “Adirondack Lake Acidification: Fact and Fiction.” Dr. Clifford Siegfried, director of the State Museum, will explore some of the common myths about acid lakes (e.g. “acid lakes are dead lakes”) and present research findings that illustrate the complex nature of acid lakes.
Wednesday, November 30 “Top 10 Little-Known Facts About Black Flies.” Museum scientist Dr. Daniel Molloy will serve as a guide to the world of black flies in the Adirondack Mountains and beyond.
Wednesday, December 7 “Adirondack Minerals—Tools to Determine the Composition and Evolution of Fluids in the Crust.” Fluids are important components of the geological processes. The presence of fluorine, chlorine, boron and water in the fluids is important because they contribute to the alteration, dissolution and transport mechanism of the elements. Dr. Marian Lupulescu, curator of minerals, will discuss volatiles and the valuable data provided about the buildup of rocks and ores in the Adirondack massif.
Wednesday, December 14 “Adirondack Wildlife—500 Dynamic Years.”
Adirondack wildlife populations have seen great changes over the past 500 years, ranging from extinction to overpopulation. Dr. Roland Kays, curator of mammals, will review these dynamics, drawing from historical records and the most recent field research.
The New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education. Founded in 1836, the Museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the U.S. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.
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