We got our final speaker lined up for MACNA

[sshindell]

<span style="font-size: 14px;">I wanted to share recent news:</span>

<span style="font-size: 14px;">We were able to land our last major speaker for MACNAXX:</span>

<span style="font-size: 14px;">Nancy Knowlton Ph.D.</span>
Sant Chair for Marine Science
Department of Invertebrate Zoology
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution

<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dr. Nancy Knowlton holds the Sant Chair in Marine Science at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Her research focuses on the ecology, evolution and conservation of coral reef organisms, and has taken her to the Caribbean, Brazil, the eastern Atlantic, and the Indo-west and central Pacific. Her analyses have led to the now widespread recognition that estimates of marine diversity are probably too low by a factor of ten. </span>

<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dr. Knowlton received her undergraduate degree at Harvard University and her PhD at the University of California at Berkeley, and was a professor at Yale University prior to moving to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. Later, she joined the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at San Diego, where she was the founding Director of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and the leader of its interdisciplinary research and education (IGERT) program. </span>

<span style="font-family: Arial;">Dr. Knowlton currently serves on the National Geographic Society’s Committee on Research and Exploration and Conservation Trust Committee, chairs the World Bank’s Targeted Research Program for Coral Reefs, is principle investigator of the Census of Marine Life’s Coral Reef Initiative, and is an Associate Editor for the Annual Review of Marine Science. She is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and an Aldo Leopold Fellow. </span>


<span style="font-family: Arial;">So we have people from the Smithsonian, National Georgraphic, BBC, Scripps, the Georgia Aquarium, Dive Training, and Georgia Tech, as well as the main hobbyist fish/coral geeks talking about fish breeding, lighting, chemistry, nutrition, DYI projects, photography, etc.</span>

<span style="font-family: Arial;">This is by far the largest number of speakers ever at MACNA (over 30) with much more representation from groups not usually found represented (divers, academic scientists, public aquariums, media), and many of the leading names in ocean research and exploration.</span>

 

[flyingarmy]

Most excellent Steve! What a great addition to the line-up!

 

[sshindell]

I have to agree - it was a late find, but she is a great draw. We had one opening left for a macro topic, and Steven Pro heard her at the Coral Alliance meeting and said she was great. She certainly has the credentials!

The combination of Sylvia Earle, Nancy Knowlton, Alex Brylske, Bruce Carlson, Kim Cobb, etc. is very unique and each one is a keynote speaker in their own right. Add to that Borneman, Calfo, Wyatt, Fenner, Sprung, and the other usual big draws in the aquarium industry and it is amazing. That and the largest trade show in MACNA history and a banquet at the largest public aquarium in the world.....

We will be posting the schedule very shortly - I was waiting for this last speaker to confirm. I wanted to let ARC know first.

It really is a merging of scientists and divers with hobbyists. In my mind, it is the best way for us to live up to our motto - Preservation through education.

 

[linda lee]

Quite a coup! Thanks!

Looking forward to this.

I googled. Lots of hits. This should be fascinating!

 

[glxtrix]

So you're not going to have Dr. Lee Kordel speaking huh?....interesting. LOL.

 

[sshindell]

LOL - I will have to see if I have a slot left...

The cool thing is we have people from the most prestigious institutions speaking at the same conference as people that are more hands on.

Many reefs are dying within our lifetime, before we completely understand and appreciate them, and before most of our children will have a chance to enjoy them. As aquarists and divers we see this as it effects us, but we also need to look at the larger picture. MACNA XX is the best vehicle to combine all of these forces together.

 

[skriz]

I was looking forward to the Dr. Kordel guy; I hear he's an expert on deep sand beds

Good work Steve! This should be the best MACNA EVER!

 

[glxtrix]

Yeah he talk about how the sand beds in the ocean are all death traps. And how we should dig them out to hit the BB so the reefs will once again thrive :yes: LOL.

 

[glxtrix]

Dang I feel stupid after posting that....even tho it was a joke. But on a serious note, awesome line up of people who will be talking.

 

[sshindell]

It is not a joke - the whole issue of the interconnectivity of the reef is very hotly debated both on the macro and micro level. We do not fully understand (or agree) if corals need the critters in the sand, and how they inter-relate. It sounds odd to non-reefers, but the issue about sand beds is probably one of the most contentious battles that is talked about at most MACNAs. We did not include it simply because it has been talked about so much in the past few years.

 

[glxtrix]

OMG, I could be right! IN YOUR FACE JEREMY! lol.