May 16, 2003
Contact: Dr. David Darda (509-963-2731/fax 509-963-2730/e-mail: dardad@cwu.edu)
ELLENSBURG, Wash. - In honor of the late Central Washington
University professor Dr. Phil Dumas, the CWU biological sciences
department will host the two-day “Philip C. Dumas Lecture in Biology”
May 22 and 23 on the Ellensburg campus.
Dumas spent 24 years with the CWU biological sciences
faculty, including 13 years as chair, and is credited with being key to
the development of the CWU program. He retired from Central in 1989
and died in 1992.
While at CWU, Dumas was well known for his study of
amphibians and reptiles, so it’s fitting that this year’s event will
feature two lectures by someone who shares that passion, Dr. Ronald
Nussbaum, a biology professor and curator of the Museum of Zoology at
the University of Michigan.
Nussbaum, who earned his master’s degree in herpetology at
CWU, was among Dumas’ students. In 1995, Nussbaum discovered a new
species of Madagascan skink, a smooth, shiny lizard, which he
subsequently named in honor of his former professor.
For his CWU lectures, Nussbaum will discuss “Biogeography of
Amphibians and Reptiles in the Western Indian Ocean,” Thursday, at 7
p.m. Friday, at noon, he will present “Evolution of Parental Care in
Salamanders.”
Both free, public presentations will be held in Science
Building 147.
There will also be a reception for Nussbaum Thursday, from 2
to 4 p.m., in the Science Building third floor common area.
For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange
for reasonable accommodation, call (509) 963-2731, or (for the hearing
impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143.
