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Happenings in the Keweenaw Peninsula March 31, 2004 Text and photo © 2004 Finlandia University Press Release. Reprinted with permission.

Author Barry Lopez to speak at Finlandia April 3

HANCOCK -- Barry Lopez -- naturalist, international traveler and award-winning author -- will present a lecture titled "The Wisdom of Local Knowledge" at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 3, at Finlandia University's Finnish/American Heritage Center in Hancock. Lopez is visiting Finlandia University's campus through Tuesday, Apr. 6. 

Lopez is the author of Arctic Dreams, for which he received the National Book Award. His other nonfiction books include About This Life and Of Wolves and Men. He is also the author of several award-winning works of fiction, including Field Notes, Winter Count, and a novella-length, illustrated fable, Crow and Weasel. 

Award-winning author and naturalist Barry Lopez is visiting the Finlandia University campus through April 6. His public presentation will be at 7 p.m. Saturday, Apr. 3, at the Finnish/American Heritage Center in Hancock (Photo courtesy Finlandia University)

Lopez is considered one of the nation's premier nature writers, and his nonfiction often examines the relationship between physical landscape and human culture. He was specifically recruited to Finlandia to serve as a McGregor Campus Mentor for the university's new interdisciplinary bachelor's degree entitled Arts, Culture and the Environment, or the ACE Program. The ACE program combines the great voices of history, literature, philosophy, religion and the arts to help students gain a greater understanding of the natural world. Lopez collaborated with Harvard Professor E.O. Wilson to create a similar interdisciplinary university curriculum that combines the sciences and humanities.

Drawing upon his academic experience, knowledge of the environment and skills as a writer, Lopez will work with Finlandia faculty members to review and enrich the ACE curriculum. 

Dr. Ann Kemppainen, Dean of the Suomi College of Arts and Sciences remarked, "We are very excited about having someone of his caliber here on Finlandia's campus. Barry Lopez is a model of interdisciplinary learning, someone who is able to inspire interest in the environment because he cares so deeply about the human role in the landscape. His literary skills and philosophical insight shed light on many challenging ethical decisions." 

During his visit, Lopez will also be making classroom presentations, going on fieldtrips, conducting a book reading for area high school students and participating in an open dialogue with teachers and professors on how to integrate ethical discussions about the environment into their classes. Lopez's visit is sponsored by a generous grant from the McGregor Fund. 

His public presentation on Saturday, April 3, is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so interested persons should arrive early. His books -- including Vintage Lopez (January 2004), a new collection of essays and excerpts -- are available at North Wind Books in Hancock, on Finlandia's campus. For more information, contact Suzanne Van Dam at 906-487-7515.

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