Aug 27, 2008 - Claremont, Calif. - The 2008 edition of the Dr. Bruce J. Nelson '74 Distinguished Speaker Series has been announced at Harvey Mudd College.

The theme for this year's series is “Biology and the Environment: Past, Present and Future” and features a stellar lineup of experts in the fields of biology, geography, oceanography and environmental studies.

Wednesday, Oct. 8
“Brave New Ocean”
Jeremy Jackson
William E. and Mary B. Ritter Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and senior scientist, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Thursday, Oct. 23
“Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed”
Jared Diamond
Professor, Department of Geography, UCLA, and Pulitzer Prize winner for the book "Guns, Germs and Steel"
(event co-sponsored by the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Leadership and Management Forum)

Wednesday, Nov. 19
"Solving the Climate and Energy Problem"
Stephen W. Pacala
Petrie Professor of Biology and director, Princeton Environmental Institute

Wednesday, Dec. 3
"Life on a Young Planet"
Andrew Knoll
Fisher Professor of Natural History, Harvard University

The lectures will be held in Galileo Hall on the Harvey Mudd College campus, beginning at 7:30 p.m. They are free and open to the public and will be followed by a dessert reception.

About the Dr. Bruce J. Nelson '74 Distinguished Speaker Series

This speaker series is made possible through the generosity of the family of Bruce J. Nelson. Bruce's life and his sudden death in 1999 had a tremendous impact on the many people whose lives he touched. A brilliant technologist and a great leader, Bruce was also entirely unconventional and eclectic; a true free spirit. Friends from Harvey Mudd College vividly remember his passionate tirades against peas as well as his many daring outdoor adventures. He was an avid photographer, mountaineer and world traveler who cherished the tranquility and wonder of nature.

Bruce Nelson graduated from Harvey Mudd College in 1974 and went on to earn a master's in computer science from Stanford, and a Ph.D. in computer science from Carnegie Mellon. While pursuing his Ph.D., he developed the Remote Procedure Call, for which he was awarded the prestigious Association of Computing Machines Software Systems Award. At the time of his death, he was the chief science officer at Cisco Systems.

 For additional information, please visit the Nelson Speaker Series website.