Hannah Freeman
James W. Porter, emeritus Josiah Meigs professor of Ecology, discusses the coral collection featured in Hargrett’s newest exhibition, “Sunken Treasure: The Art and Science of Coral Reefs” at UGA Special Collections. He will host a lecture on coral reefs on Thursday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m. in UGA Special Collections, Room 271. (Photo/ Sam Tupper).
James W. Porter, Josiah Meigs Professor of Ecology, will host a lecture detailing his research on coral reefs and efforts to protect Earth’s most biologically diverse ecosystems on Thursday, Feb. 15 from 6-7:30 p.m. in UGA Special Collections, Room 271.
Following the lecture, guests are invited to browse Hargrett Library’s newest exhibition, “Sunken Treasure: The Art and Science of Coral Reefs.”
“Before the University of Georgia acquired them, I owned 90% of every book or monograph ever published on corals and coral reefs back to 1500,” said Porter. “And what you’re seeing is the exhibition of that material.”
The exhibition features coral specimens Porter has collected during his 50-year career as a marine ecologist, as well as historical texts from scientists including Charles Darwin and Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck.
“There is no place else in the world that this exhibit could have occurred,” said Porter. “This is just entirely unique to have these ancient manuscripts alongside these gorgeous corals, it’s unique to UGA.”
Porter said the exhibition can give visitors an appreciation for the beauty of the natural world and the history of science. Another central theme of the exhibition is the conservation of coral reefs.
“This exhibit is an exceptionally strong conservation statement,” said Porter. “And it’s visual, so the impact is beauty as well as change.”
With the items currently on display, Porter has been able to speak to Congress and show the devastating changes that have occurred to the world’s coral reefs due to climate change.
“These are the images that really told the congressmen and women that these changes were real,” Porter said. “We haven’t solved the climate change problem, but we have made some advances in conservation, and I feel that I played a part in that.”
Reservations for the lecture can be made online. The exhibit will be open to the public for six months. Porter will also be providing guided tours through the exhibition on the first Friday of every month at 2 p.m.
Why I Wrote the Story:
I wrote this story because I was interested in James Porter’s research on coral reefs and the work he has done to preserve them. In his lecture, Porter detailed the effects of climate change on coral reefs and what must be done to save them. He shared valuable information about the Earth’s most diverse ecosystem that everyone should know and care about.