CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION

Chautauqua, NY—“Explore Our World with National Geographic,” week two (July 5-11, 2009) of Chautauqua Institution’s 2009 season, is the result of a unique partnership between the Institution and National Geographic.

In this special celebration of our planet, a group of top explorers, filmmakers, scientists and photographers will present compelling reports from the front lines of exploration, helping to create a better understanding about the state of the Earth’s precious resources and inhabitants, and our shared history, thus empowering Chautauqua attendees to make choices that will contribute to a vibrant, diverse and sustainable future. By listening to these compelling stories and participating in a variety of themed activities, attendees will join the adventure.

Morning lecturers for the week include National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths Belt; National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and ethnobotanist Wade Davis, author of The Serpent and the Rainbow; NASA engineer Kobie Boykins; Donald Johanson, most famous for his discovery of the “Lucy” fossil; and National Geographic photographer and filmmaker Mattias Klum, who returns to Chautauqua after closing the 2008 season’s week on Darwin and Linneaus.

National Geographic is also collaborating with the Visual Arts at Chautauqua Institution to exhibit Griffiths Belt’s photographs at Strohl Art Center. The week will also include National Geographic films at Chautauqua Cinema, a giant map of North America measuring 35 ft. by
26 ft., and a seminar for K-12 science and geography teachers that will demonstrate how to bring the spirit of exploration and inquiry into the classroom. The daily four-hour curriculum will connect with the morning lectures by National Geographic speakers.

During the week, a replica of the Mars Rover will be on display. The Institution’s Special Studies program will feature master classes on photography taught by Griffiths Belt and Klum, and a science program for youth taught by Boykins. An exhibit of 35 framed outdoor photographs by National Geographic Fellow Reza will add to the open-air ambiance.

“Partnering with National Geographic is a perfect fit for Chautauqua,” said Chautauqua President Tom Becker. “The audiences of both organizations share an intellectual curiosity and inquisitiveness. National Geographic aims to inspire Chautauquans to know and care about the planet, and we hope that Chautauquans will take home what they’ve learned. It is also wonderful that, in partnership with National Geographic, we are able to bring to the grounds enormous instructional resources and share them with the teachers of this area and visiting educators and offer the finest advice regarding curriculum and instruction.”

Chautauqua’s partnership with the National Geographic Society began three years ago when Susan Norton, director of the National Geographic Museum, recognized the possibilities of collaboration during a visit to a Chautauqua Theater Company production directed by co-Artistic Director Ethan McSweeny. She has been a frequent visitor to Chautauqua ever since.

“Chautauqua has a breadth of programming on a variety of topics. During my visit, I thought, ‘National Geographic has to be involved in this.’ It’s a natural fit,” Norton said. “The National Geographic Society was founded in 1888, a few years after Chautauqua. Here are two institutions that, from the start, wanted to enlighten and educate people, and bring the world to people through programming. At the end of the day, we hope people will take away something valuable from their experience at the 2009 season.”

National Geographic Expeditions is offering a special trip to Chautauqua from July 5-11, featuring the “Explore Our World with National Geographic” week. The package includes lodging at the historic Athenaeum Hotel, special receptions and Q&A sessions with National Geographic experts, a private orientation tour of Chautauqua and more. Additional information is available at www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com or call 1-888-966-8697.

Lecturers for the “Explore Our World with National Geographic” week:

Monday, July 6
National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths Belt has photographed dozens of magazine and book projects for the Society, including National Geographic magazine stories on Lawrence of Arabia, Baja California, Israel’s Galilee, Petra, Sydney and Jerusalem. Her work has also appeared in LIFE, Geo, Smithsonian and Paris Match among many publications, and her photographs have been exhibited in New York, Moscow and Tokyo. National Geographic books of her photography include Last Stand: America’s Virgin Lands, a collaboration with author Barbara Kingsolver. Proceeds from the book have raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for land conservation grants. Her most recent National Geographic book is a photo-memoir entitled A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel: My Journey in Photographs.

Tuesday, July 7
National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Wade Davis has been described as “a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet and passionate defender of all of life’s diversity.” An ethnographer, writer, photographer and filmmaker, he holds degrees in anthropology and biology and received his Ph.D. in ethnobotany, all from Harvard University. Davis spent more than three years in the Amazon and Andes as a plant explorer. His work later took him to Haiti to investigate folk preparations implicated in the creation of zombies. This assignment led to his writing Passage of Darkness (1988) and The Serpent and the Rainbow (1986), an international best seller that was later made into a movie. More recent books include Light at the Edge of the World (2001), Grand Canyon (2008) and Book of Peoples of the World (ed. 2008).

Wednesday, July 8
Kobie Boykins serves as an engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at California Institute of Technology, the lead U.S. center for robotic exploration of the solar system.
In April 2004, the world’s imagination was captured by NASA’s successful deployment of the Mars Expedition Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Their planned mission was to last 90 days, but the solar-energy-driven ROVs kept going, yielding additional data while working beyond their 90-day “warranty.” Boykins played a major role in this achievement, designing the solar arrays that powered the rovers and working with the team that built Spirit and Opportunity. He is currently a technical group supervisor, leading the mobility and mechanisms group.

Thursday, July 9
Donald Johanson is recognized for his discovery of “Lucy,” the world’s best-known
3.2 million-year old skeleton. The discovery brought Johanson international fame, and his name became synonymous with a new understanding of our human origins. “Lucy” remains the benchmark in paleoanthropology by which all other discoveries are judged. Johanson currently serves as a professor of physical anthropology at Arizona State University. He also holds the Virginia M. Ullman Chair in Human Origins and serves as director of the Institute of Human Origins, a human evolutionary think tank he founded in 1981. Johanson’s 30-year career has included field explorations in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Eritrea and most recently Iran. He has co-authored six books including Lucy: The Beginnings of Humankind, which won the 1981 American Book Award in Science.

Friday, July 10
Mattias Klum, a National Geographic photographer and one of last season’s most popular speakers, will close the week. Considered a hero in his native Sweden, Klum is a world-renowned nature and natural history photographer, documentary filmmaker and television host. His resume includes numerous National Geographic magazine stories, including three covers, and several internationally released films. Klum has braved some of the wildest places on Earth to document rare animals and plants. He has completed major expeditions to Brunei, Nigeria, Brazil, Panama, Costa Rica, India, Guyana, Thailand, South Africa and Mongolia. His longest expedition, a 14-month journey into the 100,000-acre Borneo rain forest, resulted in the film “The Eye of the Forest,” a book and a National Geographic magazine cover story, “Malaysia’s Secret Realm.”

Information on the teacher seminar will be distributed to local schools, and syllabi will be posted online on the Special Studies section of www.ciweb.org. Registration for the National Geographic seminar is open to all teachers and will open April 1 through the Ticket Office at (716) 357-6300. Master Classes taught by National Geographic photographers will also open April 1. Please contact the Special Studies Coordinator Teresa Alonge at (716) 357-6255 with any questions.

About Chautauqua
The Chautauqua Institution is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to lifelong learning. Based on the four pillars of Art, Education, Religion and Recreation, Chautauqua’s programs aim to renew the spirit, stimulate the mind, value the arts and promote physical well-being. It has performance venues, hotel, golf, tennis and educational and recreational facilities.

For nine weeks each year, from late June through late August, the Institution offers a rich blend of arts, a variety of programming and recreational activities. Its educational mission is continued during the rest of the year with programs for older adults and other learning opportunities. More information is available at www.ciweb.org.

About National Geographic
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 325 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,000 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.