Ashland University’s 2009-2010 Environmental Lecture Series, “Sustainability and Environmental Issues in Ohio,” continues on Feb. 25 when Dr. David FitzSimmons, assistant professor of English at Ashland University and freelance photographer and writer, will present his multimedia presentation of “350: Images of Fragile Earth.” The lecture is at 7:30 p.m. in the Hawkins-Conard Student Center Auditorium and is free and open to the public.
The live musical performance of “350: Images of Fragile Earth” is a multimedia experience celebrating the beauty and diversity of our planet and reminding us of our stewardship of earth. Featuring exactly 350 images projected onto a large screen, the program symbolically represents the recently established 350 parts per million standard for acceptable levels of atmospheric CO2. For more information on the 350 ppm benchmark, visit 350.org.
The presentation will include live musical accompaniment by Bell Acoustic—all original compositions for a rainbow of instruments from mandolin and viola to sitar and didgeridoo—and provide energetic, lilting and captivating complements to images of U.S. landscapes, seascapes, wildlife, mushrooms and wildflowers.
One of the crowd favorites is the whimsical yet provocative “Curious Critters” sequence, featuring a light-hearted melody for sitar and viola and an entertaining procession of unique animal portraits, all photographed against a white background (some of which images have appeared in Outdoor Photographer magazine).
Dr. FitzSimmons photographs and writes for various magazines, including Ohio Magazine, Popular Photography & Imaging, and Shutterbug, numerous newspapers, and online publications, including PopPhoto.com. He currently is at work on a handful of books, including Animals of Ohio’s Ponds and Vernal Pools (Kent State University Press, 2010), Waterfalls of Ohio, and several children’s picture books.
One of six Sigma Pro photographers in North America, FitzSimmons publishes calendars with BrownTrout and Barnes & Noble. He presents public programs and workshops across the country, and his exhibit “Wild Wetlands” was at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History and the National Center for Nature Photography in 2009. Among other programs in 2010, he will lead a writing & photography workshop in Reno, Nev., for the North American Nature Photography Association.
A former high school English teacher, FitzSimmons has been teaching for over 15 years. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Ohio State University, with a specialty in narrative theory—investigating the components of storytelling— something that influences his photography and writing. Besides teaching literature and composition courses, FitzSimmons is helping develop a Visual Studies program at Ashland University.
The 2009-2010 Environmental Lecture Series is sponsored by The Lubrizol Foundation. The Environmental Lecture Series was established at Ashland University when the Environmental Science Program was implemented in 1991-92. The lecture series is designed to support the Environmental Science Program by allowing students, faculty and members of north central Ohio communities to interact with leaders in the environmental field. Previous lectures are archived at http://www3.ashland.edu/academics/arts_sci/envscience/lecture_series.html.
Ashland University is a mid-sized, private institution conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.
