Ecology Lab turns 50, holds symposium

The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL), a research unit of The University of Georgia located on the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site (SRS), is observing 50 years of environmental research with various events, including a symposium on October 19.

A symposium, "The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory: Fifty Years of Ecological Diversity" will be held at the SREL Conference Center on Friday October 19. Selected "alumni" of SREL, who were strongly influenced by the research they conducted at the SRS, and who are among the many SREL alumni having strong national and international reputations, will give presentations that highlight the scientific accomplishments of SREL over the last half century. These include the following:

• Dr. John Avise, UGA Professor and member National Academy of Sciences. will speak on the development of ecological genetics.

• Dr. Ray Semlitsch, Professor, University of Missouri, Columbia will address the topic of conservation biology and the influence of SREL on the field.

• Dr. Peter Stangel, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Program Manager will address the area of environmental conservation.

• Dr. Ward Whicker, E. O. Lawrence award winner and Department Chair, Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, will speak on radioecology at SREL and the history of this area of study.

• Dr. John Pinder, Colorado State University, will address SREL's major influence on the topic of old field succession.

• Dr. John Giesy, Professor of Zoology and Director, Institute of Environmental Toxicology, Michigan Sate University, will talk about the field of environmental chemistry at SREL.

• Dr. James R. Spotila, Betz Chair Professor of Environmental Science at Drexel University will talk about thermal ecology in the field, laboratory, and models.

The daylong meeting will be followed by an evening reception and banquet.

On Saturday, participants in the symposium may take a field trip to some of the sites made famous by ecological research conducted at SREL.

Due to heightened security on the SRS, no events will be held at SREL's main laboratory.