PL 2

ESA Scientific Plenary & ESA Awards Session

The 100th meeting of the ESA is a milestone moment in the history of this scientific organization. It is a moment to take stock of the future of ecology, its relevance to the future of the biosphere, and the role of humans as planetary stewards. The goal of the opening plenary is to start the meeting by engaging the ecological community in a conversation where we ask ourselves what would a successful environmental agenda look like for the next 5, 10, 50, or 100 years? Along with discussing what a successful environmental agenda might be, panelists and plenary attendees also will consider who needs to be part of the funding picture in the future, what our environmental past—recent and deep time—can tell us about our future, and who needs to be in the “ecology” conversation.

Panelists:

• James Collins, Virginia M. Ullman Professor of Natural History and the Environment, Arizona State University. Title: Ecology in a Changing World
• Douglas Erwin, Curator of Paleozoic Invertebrates, Smithsonian Institution Title: What Recent and Deep Time Tell Us about Our Future
• Rush Holt, former US Representative, NJ, and CEO American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Title: Will it be Research as Usual for Ecologists in the Coming 100 years?
• Margaret Palmer, Professor of Entomology, University of Maryland, and Director, National Socio-environmental Synthesis Center Title: Synthesis - Ecology’s Relevance to Earth’s Future