The Fall 2008 Pathways to Knowledge: A Lecture Series for Undergraduates and
Graduates, will kickoff at 7 p.m., Oct. 14 with "The Burning of Serengeti National
Park, Tanzania: Animals and Fire," presented by Stephanie L. Eby, a doctoral
candidate in The College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Biology. The lecture
will be held in the College of Law's Grant Auditorium and is free and open to
Syracuse University students.
The lecture series invites SU students to discover the possibilities of graduate school
through notable research presentations given by doctoral candidates. The series is
coordinated by Marvin Druger, Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence and
professor of biology and science education; and Derina Samuel, acting director for
professional development programs in the Graduate School. The series is co-
sponsored by the Department of Science Teaching in The College of Arts and
Sciences and the Graduate School.
Eby's lecture will focus on her research in the Serengeti National Park. "The
Serengeti park management intentionally lights fires every year at the end of the wet
season/beginning of the dry season," Eby says. "When I started working in the
Serengeti, this burning was going on, but no one was studying its impact on the
wildlife. So I decided to study how the burning is affecting the wildlife."
Eby's unique research is exactly the kind of information Druger seeks when choosing
presenters. He wants to show students the latest developments in each lecturer's field.
"To get your Ph.D. you have to do something nobody else did. You have to add
knowledge to the field," says Druger.
This knowledge is what Druger wants to share with students-undergraduates in
particular. He says the three main reasons for hosting the series are to convey the
research of doctoral students to undergraduate and graduate students, broaden the
academic horizons of students and provide undergraduates with insights into
graduate education.
"Ph.D. students will have to present and defend their thesis to a committee of six
faculty members," says Druger. "The Pathways lecture series provides Ph.D.
students with practice in presenting their research-prior to the dissertation defense-
to a non-threatening audience of undergraduates and graduate students. Student
feedback is provided to the speaker. The benefits to the students in the audience are
that they learn about some of the latest developments in that field and they find out
about what it's like to be a graduate student. The speakers represent many different
disciplines."
Eby, who has previously presented her research at the Graduate Student Seminar,
says this will be a more relaxed setting and one in which the audience members will
be fun to present to because of their eagerness to learn and enjoy.
"It's [also] fun to share," says Eby. "I love my research and I love where I work. It's
fun to share that with other people who might not have experienced it, or with people
who have because then they can relate to similar experiences."
Other scheduled lectures are:
For further information, e-mail Druger at mdruger@syr.edu or Samuel at
dssamuel@syr.edu.
