CORVALLIS, Ore. - The annual Starker Lecture Series at Oregon State University will this year focus on resilience in the face of disasters and other disturbances and how people across the forest landscape work to overcome them and learn from them.
The series examines how communities, industries and organizations have responded to recent and previous disruptions and are poised to play critical roles in creating a better future in the areas of forest economics, recreation, education and research.
The series, which kicks off Jan. 28, is free and open to the public via Zoom and Facebook Live. It features four panel discussions and concludes with a capstone workshop scheduled for a still to be determined date in April. Registration for each of the panel discussions is open.
"Natural disturbances and disasters have a long history of presenting opportunities for society to learn, adapt and thrive," said Tom DeLuca, dean of the OSU College of Forestry. "The multiple disturbances and challenges of 2020 have emphasized the need to take stock and bounce back with the knowledge we've gained. Whether dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic or widespread wildfires, the past year has forced all of us to overcome and look at new and more resilient ways to live and work in the future."
The series begins with a discussion on recreation from12:30 to 2 p.m. p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28. The subsequent sessions, all running from 2 to 3:30 p.m., are on education (Feb. 10), economics (March 3) and research (March 10). The capstone will be from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on April 7 or April 21, whichever date is ultimately selected.
The lecture series is sponsored by the Starker family in memory of T.J. and Bruce Starker, prominent leaders in the development of the Oregon forest products industry.
The series is also supported by the OSU College of Forestry and the Oregon Forest Resources Institute.
