--HELEN KELLER

The next New England Chapter of The Explorers Club presentation will be held on Thursday April 13th, when we are pleased to welcome Dr. Piotr Naskrecki is an entomologist and conservation biologist with Conservation International (CI), and a research associate with the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) at Harvard University. He received his PhD in Entomology at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut in 2000. Here, he researched host plant affiliations in mites and the evolution of the acoustic behavior of insects. Before joining CI, where he now serves as the Director of the Invertebrate Diversity Initiative, he worked at Harvard University where his research focused on the use of invertebrate data in conservation and the development of systems for Internet-based access to primary taxonomic information on invertebrates.

Naskrecki's work at CI concentrates on gathering and synthesizing species- and specimen-level data on distribution of numerous groups of invertebrates. This information is then applied to the conservation decision-making process, such as designations of hotspots of biodiversity. He also continues his efforts to eliminate the taxonomic impediment in invertebrate conservation by developing identification tools and resources for invertebrate biologists and conservation practitioners. His publications, both technical and popular, strive to promote appreciation and conservation of invertebrate animals. Naskrecki's field research, which deals mostly with behavior and biology of singing insects, has taken him to places on six continents, often in areas rarely, if ever, visited by other biologists.

As a nature photographer Naskrecki focuses on smaller and generally misunderstood organisms, such as invertebrates, amphibians, and reptiles. His recent book The Smaller Majority (Harvard University Press) illustrates a multitude of threats faced by invertebrate animals and tries to show rare or never before photographed organisms. To see and learn more about some of Piotr's stunning work, see http://www.hup.harvard.edu/features/nassma/.

Sincerely,

Mark Allio
Program Chairman