"Bodies in Motion"
The University of Rhode Island’s Third Annual Interdisciplinary Graduate Conference
Saturday, March 28th, 2009

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Stuart Pimm, Professor of Conservation Ecology, Duke University

Across academic disciplines, "bodies" — animal, epistemological, textual, or otherwise — defy singular definition and elude our efforts to pin them down. As they parallel, intersect, and inform one another, these "bodies" demand rigorous research, creative thinking, and ever-evolving methodologies. How do we account for these "bodies in motion" and the complex ecologies of knowledge that they form? From what critical perspectives — scientific, mathematic, literary, historical, political, rhetorical, ethical, philosophical — can we examine these "bodies" in order to learn from them and from others?

Dr. Stuart L. Pimm is Duke University’s Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology and the 2006 winner of the Heineken Prize for Environmental Sciences. Dr. Pimm’s work focuses on maintaining global biological diversity. His commitment to environmental and species preservation has brought him to Washington D.C., where he testified before both the House’s and Senate’s Committee on the Reauthorization of the Endangered Species Act. He is a founder of SavingSpecies.org, an NGO working toward species preservation and carbon neutrality, and a member of National Geographic's grant-awarding Committee for Research and Exploration. Bridging the divides between science, sociology, and anthropology, Dr. Pimm’s methods involve working directly with indigenous populations to help flora and fauna survive while maintaining local traditions. His books include World According to Pimm: A Scientist Audits the Earth, The Balance of Nature?: Ecological Issues in the Conservation of Species and Communities,and Food Webs.

Click here for Conference Schedule and here for Conference Program