International population expert to visit UQ

Celebrated author and environmental expert Professor Paul Ehrlich will give a public lecture at The University of Queensland next week.

Professor Ehrlich, who is best known for the dire consequences of rampant population growth he predicted in his 1968 book The Population Bomb, will give an hour lecture on politics, consumption and the future of humans.

Professor Ehrlich is a guest of the postgraduate students from UQ’s School of Integrative Biology, who invite a prominent scholar every year to speak to students, academics and the general public.

One of the organisers, Eddie Game, said each year the postgraduate students suggest people they would like to invite and Professor Ehrlich was at the top of the list.

“It is quite a coup for us to get someone of Paul’s stature,” Mr Game said.

“While the public side of his work in population research and the environmental impacts of humans is well known, he is also renowned in academic circles for his work on co-evolution between insects and plants.”

Mr Game said Professor Ehrlich, who is Professor of Population Studies and Conservation Biology at Stanford University and the author of more than 40 books, would spend a few days with students during his visit.

“He is a mad keen bird watcher, so some of our students are taking him on a field trip,” Mr Game said.

“As well as that he will present a lecture to students, focusing on careers in research.”

Professor Ehrlich’s public lecture will be held on Monday, November 13 from 7-8pm at the IMB Auditorium, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, University of Queensland. For more information contact Eddie Game on 3365 1671 or email e.game@uq.edu.au

Media enquiries: Eddie Game (0439 773 073) or Andrew Dunne at UQ Communications (3365 2802 or 0433 364 181).