David W. Frayer is a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Kansas and a world renowned scholar on topics pivotal to the study of hominid evolution. Dr. Frayer was awarded a Ph.D. from the Univeristy of Michigan in 1976 and has since authored more than 85 publications and delivered more than 100 academic presentations worldwide. Although the anatomy and behavior of Neandertals form the basis for Dr. Fryer's recent work, he has also published extensively on European Upper Paleolithic and Mesolithic fossils, and most recently on the diminutive skeletal remains of the 'hobbit' (Homo "floresiensis') from the island of Flores, Indonesia.

Suddenly, it’s bioenergy - ethanol and biodiesel. Bioenergy to solve the climate change problem caused by greenhouse gases. Bioenergy to inject vitality into declining rural communities. Bioenergy to free us from international oil villains. But wait… Bioenergy will drive food prices up and starve the poor by appropriating the food supply for energy. Bioenergy will ruin our livestock sector. Bioenergy will deforest the tropics and desertify the plains. Bioenergy will benefit farm landowners, but no one else. And bioenergy will happen only with billions of dollars of subsidies - can we afford it? In this course, students will evaluate the prospects for biofuels in the context of climate change and the world energy market. Participants will first review climate change assessments and the relationship of climate change to world energy markets, and will then examine the potential role of biofuels in reducing carbon emissions. Issues to be addressed include the potential effects of biofuels on food security and on natural resource sustainability, and a comparison of biofuel subsidies versus carbon taxes in mitigating climate change. Participants will be expected to research and report on scientific studies, and to learn and utilize various approaches to cost-benefit evaluation of public policies. Our goal is not to resolve the difficult questions raised above, but help students to sharpen their ability to analyze them and perhaps to more effectively advocate world-saving choices.

“Managing soil microbial community structure for disease suppression,” will be presented by Dr. Mark Mazzola, USDA-ARS, Washington State University. A reception will be held at 3:30 p.m. The event is open to the public.