Sept 12 Evening at Egan Lecture: "In the Company of Ravens" with Corvid Scholar John Marzluff

The 7 pm lecture follows 5 pm dedication of the new Raven sculpture in the UAS Mourant Courtyard

Juneau, AK

Date of Press Release: September 8, 2008

What do Van Gogh, Shakespeare, the Hopi and Kayukon People, Mark Twain, and the rock band The Counting Crows have in common? They all draw inspiration from some of our most common, but least understood birds: the crow and the raven.  Raven and crow scholar John Marzluff will present “In the Company of Ravens,” as the second installment of the 2008 UAS Evening at Egan Lecture Series.

“In my lecture I investigate fully the inspiration of ravens on people and our affects on these adaptable birds, writes Marzluff.  “I investigate the taxonomy, morphology, natural history, population ecology, and behavioral ecology of ravens and their relatives; human interactions with these birds as irritating and competitive pests, targets, creators, symbols, diviners, and inspirations; amazing examples of tool use; complex communication among ravens; the adjustments of crows to life with people; the potential influences of West Nile virus on crows and ravens; the role of ravens as nest predators; and the conservation needs of the endangered crowss of Hawaii and the Mariana Islands. Big, bold, and boisterous, ravens are hard to miss and my talk is intended to answer the many questions they conjure up in all who have watched them (and that is almost everyone).”

John Marzluff is Professor of Wildlife Science at the University of Washington.  He also holds the Denman Chair in Sustainable Resource Sciences and directs the Urban Ecology Program at UW.  His recent book, In the Company of Crows and Ravens (with Tony Angell, 2005 Yale U. Press) blends biology, conservation, and anthropology to suggest that human and crow cultures have co-evolved.  The book won the Washington State Book Award in 2006.

Prior to the lecture, Chancellor John Pugh and UAS Alumni President Bob Mitchell are celebrating the Dedication of the Raven Sculpture in the Mourant Courtyard, Auke Lake Campus at 5 p.m. The sculpture was made possible in part through a generous gift by UAS Alumni & Friends. Special guest Sculpture Artist and UAS Alumna Lisa Rickey will be in attendance.

The Evening at Egan lecture series is held every Friday at 7 p.m. through November 21. The September 19 lecture is “Remote Sensing of Mountain Goats in Southeast Alaska” by Mark Riley, Remote Sensing Specialist, USDA Forest Service. Visit the Evening at Egan Website for all scheduled lectures.