Three influential thinkers across various disciplines:
- Andrea Wulf, acclaimed author of The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World;
- Renowned poet Susan Stewart, Avalon Foundation University Professor in the Humanities and Professor of English, Princeton University;
- And prominent ecologist Stephen Kellert, Tweedy/Ordway Professor Emeritus of Social Ecology, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
will lead a lively discussion surrounding the discoveries of legendary naturalist Alexander von Humboldt (1769–1859), whose vision of the natural world paved the way for modern ecology. Perceiving nature as an interconnected global force, Humboldt discovered similarities between climate zones across the world, predicted human-induced climate change, and turned scientific observation into poetic narrative, influencing scientists, naturalists, and poets alike, from Goethe to Darwin, and Thoreau to Muir. The symposium will also celebrate The New York Botanical Garden’s vital role in nature conservation and plant science research that builds on Humboldt’s legacy.
For more information and to register, please visit the Symposium’s website.
Presented by the Humanities Institute, and the LuEsther T. Mertz Library at the New York Botanical Garden
