Poet and professor of environmental sciences, Madhur Anand, will appear as the guest for the Feb. 14 installment of the 18th annual Canadian Writers in Person Lecture series.
The series, presented by the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies (LA&PS), runs Tuesday evenings from 7 to 10pm at 206 Accolade West Building.
Anand, who is an internationally recognized ecologist and current professor at the University of Guelph, will discuss her poetic debut A New Index for Predicting Catastrophe.
The book features work that is an intersection of poetry and science, and draws inspiration from her living room, backyard garden, university office, or field sites in boreal or tropical forests.
Anand’s research interests range from theoretical to empirical studies of natural and human-induced changes in ecosystems at local, regional and global scales and their implications for sustainability.
She is the principal investigator for Global Ecological Change & Sustainability – a research project that aims to provide knowledge and tools to better understand natural and human-related impacts on ecosystems and to enhance long-term coupled human-environment sustainability.
In addition to her faculty position at the University of Guelph, Anand has also served as a visiting professor scholar McGill University and Princeton University, and was a professor at Laurentian University from 2002 to 2006.
In 2011, Anand earned the titled of a Young Scientist of the World Economic Forum which places emphasis on the broader implications of science in society.
She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers and co-authored one textbook on Climate Change Biology. She also serves on several international journal editorial boards and grant selection panels.
The Canadian Writers in Person Lecture Series runs as part of a degree credit course on Canadian literary culture through the LA&PS Culture & Expression program. Members of the York community not enrolled in the course can also enjoy the readings, which are free and open to the public.
This year’s lineup will feature a unique selection of writers who explore a diverse range of topics and geographical and cultural landscapes. Authors include poets, playwrights, fiction writers and more.
The 2016-17 series continues with:
- March 7 – Katherena Vermette, North End Love Song
- March 21 – Terry Fallis, Poles Apart
For more information, email gailv@yorku.ca or leslie@yorku.ca.