Winter 2006/07 fe tHE FIELD THE FIELD MUSEUM’S MEMBER PUBLICATION F.eiR 4 +4 er ae = = tb ES , ee ‘ we ge : ' Preserving a View of China’s Past PROFILES OF POSTDOCTORAL SCIENTISTS PREVIEW OF 2007 EXHIBITIONS Ye WINTER 2006/07 DECEMBER-FEBRUARY VOL. 78, NO. 1 EDITOR: Nancy O’Shea The Field Museum DESIGN: Bockos Design, Inc. Printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. All images © The Field Museum unless otherwise specified. IN THE FIELD (ISSN #1051-4546) is published quarterly by The Field Museum. Annual subscriptions are $20; $10 for schools. Museum membership includes IN THE FIELD subscription. Opinions expressed by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the policy of The Field Museum. Notification of address change should include address label and should be sent to the membership department. POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Membership, The Field Museum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60625-2496 Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and additional mailing offices. COVER: Several examples of Chinese rubbings from the Museum’s collection. COURTESY OF FIELD MUSEUM ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT (MAIN COVER IMAGE) FIELD MUSEUM/A100688B (TOP LEFT) FIELD MUSEUM/A103173 (TOP RIGHT) FIELD MUSEUM/A100677 (BOTTOM) useum 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60605-2496 312.922.9410 www.fieldmuseum.org The Field Museum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the Museum through the Chicago Park District, FIELD MUSEUM ANTHR? JOHN WEINSTEIN, Conservators in The Field Museum's Anthropology Department are preserving rare Chinese rubbings. With 4,500 rubbings dating as far back as 500 BCE, the Museum's collection provides a treasure trove of information about China. Robin Groesbeck (shown left), the Field’s director of exhibitions, gives a preview of what’s coming in 2007. She describes several exciting exhibitions including The Ancient Americas, Darwin, Maps, and Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries. The Field Museum, in partnership with the Illinois Institute of Technology, is participating in the High School Transformation Project—a three-year initiative to help improve Chicago Public Schools. The Museum is mentoring a new generation of scientists. In a special profile, eight National Science Foundation-funded postdoctoral scientists discuss their work. Left: Kentaro Hosaka, PhD, is an NSF-funded postdoctoral fellow working in the Museum's Department of Botany. Adler Planetarium Shedd Aquarium A SPECIAL LETTER Campaign Update and Opportunities Field Museum Campaign Initiatives The Ancient Americas Anthropology Laboratory The Crown Family Discovery Center Collections Resource Center DNA Laboratory East Entrance Pavilion Evolving Planet Herbarium and Botany Laboratory James Simpson Theatre Research and Conservation Endowment Technology, Infrastructure and Library Resources The Sidney R. and Addie Yates Center The past few years have been exciting for The Field Museum. We launched and presented world-class traveling exhibitions, opened a new permanent exhibition (Evolving Planet) and plan to open another in March of 2007 (The Ancient Americas), inaugurated the new East Entrance Pavilion which provides barrier-free access, completed 180,000 square-feet of new storage and study space in our Collections Resource Center, continued our conservation efforts around the world and strengthened the ability of our scientists to pursue their ground-breaking research. These wonderful and far-reaching accomplishments are made possible in great measure through the unprecedented level of support from our leaders and donors. Their generosity is demonstrated not only in our Annual Fund success, but also through the results of our Campaign fundraising. The Field Museum is fortunate to count among its supporters those who are participating generously in The Campaign for The Field Museum: Understand the Past, Shape the Future. Although we are not yet at the finish line, we are enjoying diverse benefits of this fundraising effort and look forward to a successful 2007 as We strive to surpass our $18 million a goal of $176 million, Pf z of which we have ee ge : raised more than $140 million. $3 million = As we enter ate : into the public phase aaa "of this Campaign, we $3.4 million ask that you consider supporting this effort financially. In the months ahead, a you will hear about our Campaign progress and plans and we hope you are ae able to join in this historic effort. We are providing exciting giving opportunities $18 million at all gift levels (see story on back cover). We are proud of The Field Museum and know that you are as well. eaimiilion Thank you for your constant support and enthusiasm. illi $1.6 million coy ee Jim Croft, PhD Executive Vice President $12 million Exhibitions such as Evolving Planet $3 million : ; | convey the Museum’s important mission. By Steven Strohmeier, Field Museum Institutional Advancement Department One of the great pleasures of working for The Field Museum is partnering with our curatorial and collections staff to bring little-known gems from our vast collection to the public’s attention. Two years ago, Ruth Norton, head conservator of the Museum’s Anthropology Department, introduced me to just such a treasure —the Field’s outstanding collection of Chinese rubbings. The Chinese rubbings in the Museum’s collection cover a wide range of subjects. The Field Museum curates the largest and one of the best collections of rubbings outside of China. Consisting of more than 4,500 rubbings made between the 15th and 20th centuries and reproducing works dating as far back as 500 BCE, the Museum’s collection provides a treasure trove of information about China. However, like most Westerners, I had never heard of Chinese rubbings, let alone seen one. Worse yet, I expected the collection to consist of gritty souvenir images, like the charcoal rubbings of famous tombstones popularized by Victorian tourists. But when conservators opened cabinets containing the rubbings, something unexpected emerged: elegant Buddhas, exquisite dragons, and striking portraits of famous philosophers, scholars, and religious leaders! As I soon discovered, rubbings have played a significant role in the intellectual, social, and cultural life of China for more than 1,500 years. Following the invention of paper by the Chinese around 150 CE, and prior to the printing of books from wood blocks several hundred years later, Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist texts were inscribed on stone for permanency, with rubbings of these texts made for religious and academic scholars. Over time, the use of rubbings expanded to include a wide range of subjects, from preserving monumental inscriptions and imperial decrees, to duplicating poetry and art works. In this regard, rubbings greatly facilitated the preservation, circulation, and study of valuable historical infor- mation that failed to pass down in other contexts. Members of the Chinese rubbings conservation team include (left to right) Ruth Norton, Nicole Ihnatiuk, Laura Neufeld, Meredith Durkin, Sophie Hammond- Hagman, Tatsumi Brown, and Debbie Linn. Rubbings were also used to transmit and study famous forms of calligraphy—an extremely impor- tant part of Chinese cultural life. Rubbings made it possible for students throughout China to imitate past masters and preserve the aesthetic qualities of particular calligraphic styles. The production of rubbings in China is also an industry onto itself—complete with special techniques, tools, and pigments used to create a wide variety of unique images. Rubbings are gen- erally made by carefully placing a thin sheet of wet rice paper over a stone tablet or other hard surface into which text and/or an image has been carved. Skilled artisans then press the paper into the carved channels using a series of brushes and tools. Ink is later carefully applied to the surface of the paper, leaving the carved areas bare. By varying the inking process, artisans can also shade rubbings to create portraits or add drama to a particular inscription. Once the rubbing is dry, it is carefully removed to reveal a tactile, three-dimensional impression of the original stone. One of the most striking features of The Field Museum’s Chinese rubbings collection is its unusual variety. In addition to works by famous artists and calligraphers, the collection includes calligraphic inscriptions, finger print seals, a Jewish genealogy book, mosque dedication tablets, a map of a shrine, and deeds proving to spirits that graves are properly owned. A number of rubbings are also written in multiple languages—Manchu, Mongohan, Arabic, Tibetan, and Latin—revealing the depth of cultural diversity in imperial China. The collection also contains a large number of unique rubbings not often represented in other collections. These include roof tiles with auspicious inscriptions and animal figures, swords, mirrors, candlestick and lamp bases, iron stoves, illustrated slabs, bronze vessels, tomb reliefs, and maps. In many instances, the Museum’ rubbings are the only record that still bears witness to the objects from which they were taken because many of the original pieces have faded or vanished due to erosion, re-cutting, looting, or destruction. To preserve these treasures for future generations and to ensure the STEVEN STROHMEIER public has opportunities to learn more about them, a team of Field Museum conservators is working to conserve several hundred rubbings that have become too fragile to be safely studied or exhibited. The team has also digitally photographed more than 1,100 rubbings and 30 rubbings albums in preparation for the creation of a Chinese rubbings website in late 2007. The completed website will help visitors worldwide learn about the history of rubbings and provide unprecedented access to images and information about the Museum’s vast collection. During the next four to six years, the Museum plans to conserve and photograph the entire collection for inclusion on the website, creating a dynamic resource for those interested in Chinese art, history, and culture. In 2007, the Anthropology Department also plans to host rubbings experts from Beijing in order to obtain additional information about the collection’s historical significance. ITF The Chinese Rubbings Project has been made possible with the generous support of the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, W. L. S. Spencer Foundation, Blakemore Foundation, and Tang Research Foundation. For information on supporting the Museum’s Chinese Rubbings Project, please contact Steven Strohmeier at 312.665.7844, or write sstrohmeier@fmnh.org. The Field Museum’s Chinese rubbings team includes these members of the Anthropology Department: Bennet Bronson, PhD, curator, Asian archaeology and ethnology, Anne Underhill, PhD, Boone Associate Curator of Asian Anthropology, Ruth Norton, head conservator, Debbie Linn, conservator, Gordon Ambrosino, collections manager, Sophie Hammond-Hagman, conservation assistant, Tatsumi Brown, conser- vation assistant, Laura Neufeld, conservation assistant, Meredith Durkin, conservation volunteer, Linna Gao, curatorial volunteer, and Nicole Ihnatiuk, rubbings imagist intern. VISIT WWW.FMNH.ORG/RESEARCH COLLECTIONS/ANTHROPOLOGY/COLLECTIONS.HTM FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE MUSEUM’S ASIAN ANTHROPOLOGY COLLECTIONS. Additional information on the Museum’s rubbings collection can be found in Fieldiana Anthropology, New Series, No. 3, Catalogue of Chinese Rubbings from The Field Museum, edited by Hartmut Walravens and published in Nov, 1981 by the Museum. (For information on how to order past copies of Fieldiana, see In the Field's back cover.) WINTER 2006/07 * DECEMBER-FEBRUARY IN THE FIELD INTERVIEW Special Preview of 2007 Exhibitions A Conversation with Robin Groesbeck By Stephanie Lee, Writer Robin Groesbeck, the Field’s director of exhibitions, is responsible for all Museum exhibitions, including temporary, permanent, and outbound exhibitions that travel to other museums. In the Field talked to her about the 2007 exhibition schedule. CRAIG CHESEK ITF: What are some of the highlights Field Museum visitors can expect next year? Groesbeck: It will be a wonderful, rich year of exhibitions. We will debut an exciting schedule, including three major temporary exhibitions, Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries; Darwin; and Maps. Each provides something unique. Dinosaurs will feature some of the latest dinosaur research, and will look at topics such as biomechanics and migration patterns. The exhibi- tion will also highlight the work of Peter Makovicky [PhD], the Field’s curator of dinosaurs who has been doing research on why dinosaurs sport such a variety of bony plates between the head and the body and what purpose these plates might have served. Dinosaurs also features a beautiful diorama of a dinosaur excavation site in Liaoning, China, where fossils linking birds to dinosaurs were discovered. Darwin is the most comprehensive exhibi- tion about the scientist ever assembled. It will trace the development of his thinking, including his five-year journey aboard The Beagle, as well as reveal his life as a family man who was the father of 10 children. The exhibition will show how diverse Darwin’s studies were, and how, from his close observation of the natural world, he devel- oped theories that still support the foundation of science today. IMAGES/ALAMY © THE NEWBERRY LIBRARY Visitors will also be able to explore the Earth and its peoples through Maps, the Field’s collaborative project with the Newberry Library in Chicago. The exhibition will feature over 100 of the world’s great- est maps, and show how maps encompass everything from Micronesian stick charts, to European maps from the Renaissance, and the latest GPS technology. This is something families as well as collectors will really enjoy. The exhibition will be part of a citywide festival celebrating maps. JOHN WEINSTEIN/A114462 03D Opposite: Robin Groesbeck, director of exhibitions, has worked at the Museum for seven years. Above (left to right): Featured in the upcoming exhibition, Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries, is Mei long, a small birdlike theropod, modeled after fossils first discovered in 2004, and this model of a Beipiaosaurus, one of the largest AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY known feathered dinosaurs. From the Maps exhibition: Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) from Hernando Cortes, Praeclara Ferdinandi Cortesii, 1524. The Ancient Americas features a re-creation of a Puebloan household similar to one at Mesa Verde National Park, and this authentic Inca textile from Peru. JOHN WEINSTEIN/GN90873 0702 ITF: Darwin and Dinosaurs complement the Evolving Planet exhibition. Why do you think the public is interested in these subjects? Groesbeck: We all have awe and respect for the natural world and want to understand how it works—the relationships among plants, animals, and geology—and the Field is a wonderful place to explore these subjects. These exhibitions unlock the mysteries of the natural world and make it more accessible and understandable. Drawing upon our extensive collections totaling about 23 million objects, we are able to provide visitors with the opportunity to look at “real things” up close—specimens, artifacts—things that people wouldn’t encounter elsewhere. The Field strives to understand how the world works, through mechanisms of evolution and genetics, and through well-researched science including that of the Field’s own scientists. ITF: Are there other exhibitions opening in 2007 that you're especially excited about? Groesbeck: Our newest permanent exhibition, The Ancient Americas, opens in spring 2007. This 20,000-square-foot exhibition examines the history of the Americas, beginning in the Ice Age, when the Americas were first populated, up until contact with Europeans. So many vibrant cultures developed and thrived here long before Europeans arrived and most people would like to learn more about this important period in history. In the fall we will open an early childhood learning center so our youngest visitors and their care givers can enjoy fun, hands-on activities that relate to collections and exhibitions at The Field Museum. Kids will be able to explore artifacts, specimens, and props in interactive science and art labs, and make music and harvest corn near a re-created pueblo. We'll also open several smaller temporary exhibitions: we'll feature a display of rare jewelry in Treasure of the Titans; books, manuscripts, and prints from The Field Museum’s Mary Runnells Rare Book Room will be featured in our new T. Kimball and Nancy N. Brooker Gallery; and, a collection of shields and other artifacts from the Crow Nation is an exhibition we will develop in partnership with a Crow curator. We'll also install a small presentation on cicadas in June, when a new brood will emerge in the Chicago area. Broods of cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 years, depending on the species, and the exhibition will examine one such occasion from biological and anthropological perspectives. ITF: What do you hope Museum visitors will learn from the exhibitions you've described? Groesbeck: These exhibitions really reflect the core values of The Field Museum and promote scientific exploration. We want to provide opportunities for our guests to explore the natural world through exhibitions that are viscerally and intellectually engaging. ITF TERESA MURRAY Upcoming Exhibitions at The Field Museum Permanent Exhibitions Opening in 2007 The Ancient Americas March 9, 2007 Crown Family Discovery Center (pictured above) Sept. 14, 2007 Temporary Exhibitions Opening in 2007 Treasures of the Titans Jan. 26—June 3, 2007 Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries March 30—Sept. 3, 2007 Cicadas Opens June 8, 2007 Darwin June 15, 2007—Jan. 1, 2008 Travels of the Crow: Journeys of an Indian Nation July 13, 2007—July 13, 2008 Plant Portraits: The California Legacy of A. R. Valentien Aug. 3, 2007—Jan. 7, 2008 Highlights from the Mary Runnells Rare Book Room Oct. 10, 2007—Jan. 20, 2008 Maps Nov. 2, 2007—Jan. 27, 2008 Some dates may change. Visit www.fieldmuseum.org or call 312.922.9410 to check dates and to obtain more information about these exhibitions. WINTER 2006/07 * DECEMBER-FEBRUARY 7 IN THE FIELD FEATURE Field Museum paleontologist Richard Kissel (shown at far left) gave Chicago Public School teachers a tour of Evolving Planet as part of the Museum’s participation in the High School Transformation Project. Field Participates in High School Transformation Project Educators Nationwide are Watching By Sarah Wille, Field Museum Curriculum Specialist and Program Developer This past SUMMEF, The Field Museum’s Education Department began work on an exciting initiative called the High School Transformation Project to improve education at Chicago Public Schools. Partnering with the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), the department is working with CPS high schools to implement inquiry-based biology, chemistry, and physics curricula. Each of the new curricula includes links to Field Museum resources, such as exhibitions, programs, and materials. The Field is the only museum involved in this initiative which has received wide attention, with educators and school reformers across the country closely watching its results. The three-year project seeks to improve student achievement and graduation rates through educator professional development, leadership support for school administration and faculty, and implementation of high quality math, language arts, and science curricula. In this first year of the project, IIT and The Field Museum are working with seven of 14 schools selected to participate. In years two and three, additional schools will be added as the focus shifts to chemistry and physics. New curricula and teacher training form the cornerstone of the High School Transformation Project. The HT/Field Museum biology curriculum emphasizes student-centered = learning to help children become effective problem solvers. This approach is exemplified in 30 model lesson plans that link Field Museum resources to the schools’ new textbooks. Several lessons include Field Museum field trips and extensive use of Harris Educational Loan Center materials. Evolving Planet and Harris Loan dinosaur materials, for instance, are used extensively in the evolution unit. Teacher development is essential to this reform effort. Science teachers receive training on content, pedagogy, and the use of Museum resources to reinforce classroom instruction. During the current school year, the IIT/Field Museum team will deliver 60 hours of professional development. In addition, teachers are being trained on the concepts of inquiry and the nature of science to improve their ability to involve students in authentic science. The Museum plays an important role in this aspect of teacher training. On Aug. 16, 25 teachers spent the day behind-the-scenes with Field Museum scientists, learning about our cutting-edge zoological research. Teachers also received instruction on focused field trips, how to use exhibitions to teach biology concepts, and how to use Harris Loan materials in the classroom. The teachers were impressed by the Museum's resources and the potential to use them to inspire students. After touring Evolving Planet, one teacher exclaimed, “You can teach everything here from cells to dinosaurs. Connections are everywhere!” At the end of the project, each student will have taken part in an inquiry-based science education, and will have extensive familiarity with The Field Museum as a resource for lifelong learning. By taking part in the High School Transformation Project, The Field Museum is participating in urban school reform while helping expand the Museum’s reach to diverse Chicago communities. As Elizabeth Babcock, PhD, the Museum's director of education and library collections, explains, “Our participation in this project exemplifies the Museum’s commitment to serving as an educational leader in Chicago. We continue to provide educational opportunities that extend outside the Museum walls.” mF CALENDAR OF EVENTS WIN INSIDE > EXHIBITIONS DETAILS INSIDE! MCA Family Day 12/02 Peaceable Kingdom 12/26-28 Overnights 12/29, 1/5, 1/12, 2/02, 2/16 Two of Us 1/2-1/23, 2/6-2/27 CBG Family Class: Super Seeds 3/03 CBG Super Science Sunday 3/11 Get Up, Stand Up Lecture 1/13 Voices of Freedom Performance 1/13-1/15 West African Drum Circle 2/03 The John Work Chorale 2/10 Coming For to Carry Me Home Lecture 2/10 Oscar Brown Film Screening 2/17 Kwame Steve Cobb and Chavunduka & Maggie Brown Performance 2/24 Connecting Tsavo to Eurasia Lecture 1/20 Transgenic Plants and the Natural World Lecture 2/17 Cultural Connections Programs 2/25, 3/24 How Did We Get Here From Mendel Lecture 3/14 A Camera, Two Kids, and a Camel 12/6 Deep Ancestry: Update on the Genographic Project 2/13 The Lost Gospel of Judas 3/6 My Wild Life: Discovery in Madagascar 3/20 Wild Ocean 4/10 The Photographic Life 5/8 FESTIVALS TER 2006/07 DECEMBER-FEBRUARY FAMILY PROGRAMS Pees ODE PO THE FIELL ADULT PROGRAMS Hear the best in holiday music from schools and organizations around Chicago. Drop in during the three days after Christmas and enjoy these FM/GN90521.08D Ve te Il ate : | Yau! | kYyVEI!I WW ill special holiday performances! TUESDAY-THURSDAY, DEC. 26-28 1lam—l1pm Free with Museum admission Sue the T. rex is having a sleepover! Join us for a night of activities, tours, and performances. Explore ancient Egypt by flashlight, prowl an African savannah with man-eating lions, and take a stroll through the Royal Palace in Bamum, Africa. Then spread your sleeping bag amidst some of our most popular exhibitions. The event includes an evening snack and continental breakfast. For families with children ages 6-12. FRIDAYS, DEC. 29, JAN. 5, JAN. 12, FEB. 2 & FEB. 16; 5:45pm IN THE EVENING UNTIL 9am THE FOLLOWING MORNING $47, members $40 New! Purchase your tickets for this event online at www.fieldmuseum.org useuin AINE 7 Please note: Refunds will be issued by Field Museum staff, minus a $10 processing fee, for or overnights only. No refunds or exchanges are permitted for any other programs. Fees fo by The Field Museum will be refunded in full Music and the Civil Rights Movement Explore the critical role music played in the Civil Rights Movement and its powerful impact on African American identity. Martin Luther King, Jr. Programs Family Performances Voices of Freedom: Reigniting King’s Legacy Choral Thunder and Trinity United Church of Christ Young Adult Choir (Imane Ya Watumi) Emcee: Mike Robinson, Program Director of Gospel Radio AM 1390 Bask in the powerful messages of King’s movement as these choirs per- form a selection of inspirational music from the era. Follow the performers through the Museum, then join them in James Simpson Theatre where you'll gain a better understanding of the significance of each piece. SATURDAY-MONDAY, JAN. 13-15, NOON Free with Museum admission Adult Lecture Get Up, Stand Up: Music and The Black World Experience Moderator: Lisa Brock, Columbia College Panelists: Stephanie Shonekan, Columbia College, Morris Phibbs, Columbia College Center for Black Music Research Discover the vast contributions and revolutionary messages of the late Jamaican Reggae singer, Peter Tosh. Panelists will discuss the role that music has played in the African-American experience, especially with regards to the African Diaspora in the US and the Caribbean. SATURDAY, JAN. 13, 2pm Free with Museum admission FM/A112013.19C African Heritage Festival Events Family Performance West African Drum Circle Muntu Drumming Masters Listen to some great West African drumming, and learn how this amazing art form is connected to Chicago and its communities. Bring your djembes, djun djuns, shakerees, and other African percussion instruments and join this cultural celebration and reconnection to Africa’s descendants. SATURDAY, FEB. 3, NOON Free with Museum admission COURTESY OF THE JOHN Wi Family Performance The John Work Chorale Listen as these vibrant singers demonstrate the “Sorrow Songs” of early 19th century African- American literature and learn more about the place of Negro spirituals in literature. SATURDAY, FEB. 10, NOON Free with Museum admission Adult Lecture Coming For To Carry Me Home: The Negro Spirituals and the Early 19th Century Black Creative Expression Prof. William W. Cook, Dartmouth College Trace the history of “Sorrow Songs” in early African- American literature. Drawing on works by Frederick Douglass and other former slaves, Cook will explore this musical tradition as it relates to issues of bondage and freedom, literacy and illiteracy. SATURDAY, FEB. 10, 2pm Free with Museum admission COURTESY OF WILLIAM COOK Film Screening/Panel Music is My Life, Politics My Mistress: The Oscar Brown, Jr. Story Donnie L. Betts, Director, and Maggie Brown, Performer Watch this fascinating film about the life of political activist Oscar Brown, Jr. Director Donnie Betts and songstress and performer, Maggie Brown—daughter of Oscar—will discuss Oscar Brown, Jr.’s contributions to blues, jazz, politics, black theater, and the African- American struggle and experience in Chicago. SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1:30Pm Free with Museum admission COURTESY OF DONNIE BETTS Performance Kwame Steve Cobb and Chavunduka & Maggie Brown COURTESY OF MAGGIE BROWN Get into the groove of these two dynamic performances, blending jazz, blues, and neo-soul with history, politics, and social commentary. The music of the evening will spill out of any genre as a cross-cultural fusion of all things spiritual and funk-ridden. Their music is heartfelt, conveying a pan-African spirituality, a firm political stance, or whatever the moment requires, and everything is heavily supported by raw, organic, rhythmic compositions. SATURDAY, FEB. 24, 7pm $15, members $10 COBALLA PRODUCTIONS Mendel Collaborative Events MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART FM/BRIAN DROEGE Gallery Programs Story Time Take a seat in one of our exhibition MCA Family Day halls, hear a story, and make an art project to take home, all in 20 minutes! This winter we'll be reading When It Starts to Snow by Phillis Gershator and Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema. Presented in partnership with The Field Museum, families can learn about the importance of soil, delve into Mendel’s famous experiments with peas, tour the MCA‘s latest exhibitions—including Massive Change: The Future of SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS, 1:30pm Global Design—and join in on scavenger hunts, art Free with Museum admission activities, demos and more! FAMILY PROGRAMS SATURDAY, DEC. 2, 10:30am—4Pm At the Museum of Contemporary Art; 220 East Chicago Ave. Free admission for families with children ages 12 and under. Scientists at the Field Meet a Field Museum scientist and Vw i see rarely displayed specimens from 7 ¥ Se eas Please visit the MCA Web site at www.mcachicago.org/ our collections. This winter, learn f . : - education for more information on this event. FM/PAUL VELAZCO t about our amazing genetics lab and see fascinating bat specimens and Unique anthropological Support for Family Programs is provided in part through the MCA Women’s rtifacts f the South Pacific! Board Family Education Initiative. artifacts trom the sou ‘acinc, The Massive Change exhibition and tour is a project by Bruce Mau Design and the Institute without Boundaries, commissioned and organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery. SATURDAYS, DEC. 9, JAN. 13 & FEB. 10, 1lam—2em Free with Museum admission The Chicago presentation is generously sponsored by Target. COURTESY OF THE MCA Mendel Collaborative Events CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN Weekend Family Class: Super Seeds Seeds are the beginnings of plants! Survey all kinds of seeds—play games to discover how scientists create new seeds, explore kitchen seeds . i and dissect beans. Plant a wide variety of seeds for your own super seed garden. For children ages 4-10 accompanied by an adult, { SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 9:30-11:00am OR 1-2:30PM $12 adult and $15 child; Chicago Botanic Garden and Field Museum members: $10 adult and $12 child Pre-registration is required at least one week in advance at www.chicagobotanic.org/familyprograms Super Science Sunday: Deep in a Seed Get deep into seeds at the Chicago Botanic Garden! Families can dissect different kinds of seeds and explore basic plant genetics—in the spirit of the famous scientist Gregor Mendel. Listen to author and Field Museum staff member Chery! Bardoe read excerpts from her new children’s book, Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas, from 2 until 4pm. SUNDAY, MARCH 11, NOON TO 4pm Free (parking fees apply) For more information on these events, please call the CBG at 847.835.8363 or visit their Web site at www.chicagobotanic.org/familyprograms @ CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN, ROBIN CARLSON Adult Lecture Transgenic Plants and the Natural World: Curse or Blessing? Peter H. Raven, President, Missouri Botanical Garden Go under the microscope and explore how genetic modification could be changing the face of Earth’s ecosystems. Learn how scientists have been augmenting crop performance by increasing insect- and herbicide-resistance, and what happens when these modified plants hybridize with other nearby species. Raven will explore how modification might disrupt natural communities in dangerous and unknown MICHAEL JACOB ways, as well as the advantages and disadvantages to continuing this type of genetic manipulation. SATURDAY, FEB. 17, 1pm $16, students/educators $14, members $12 (includes general Museum admission) ADULT PROGRAMS New! Purchase your tickets forthis event online at www.fieldmuseum.org Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs THROUGH JANUARY 1, 2007 Treasures of the Titans JANUARY 26-JUNE 3, 2007 EXHIBITIONS Adult Lecture Connecting Tsavo to Eurasia: 3,000 Years of Intertwined Relationships Between Africa and Asia Dr. Chap Kusimba, FM Dept. of Anthropology Transport yourself to coastal Kenya, the focus of 20 years of research by Dr. Kusimba and his colleagues. Their studies have uncovered millennia-long connections between East Africa and Eurasia, and how technology exchanges and global trade have led to the development of an intertwined relationship between the peoples living around the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. SATURDAY, JAN. 20, 1pm Free with Museum admission © CHAPURUKHA KUSIMBA Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics THROUGH APRIL 1, 2007 Panel Discussion How Did We Get Here From Mendel? Dr. Garland Allen, Washington University, St. Louis; Dr. Patricia Heberer, United States Holocaust Memorial Muse Dr. Brent Waters, Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary Investigate the controversial history of genetic science— Mendel’s first experiments to the birth of the eugenics to modern advances in genetic manipulation. Hear from and historians who will examine the important issues that | continued to arise in today’s genetic science. !) WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 6-9pm Free; pre-registration required. Includes a viewing of Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics. To register, please call the Illinois Humanities Council 312.422.5580 or e-mail at inc@prairie.org a Eskimo and Inuit Carvings: Collecting Art from the Arctic THROUGH JUNE 17, 2007 Fam Workshops © THE FIELD MUSEUM, TIFFANY PLATE ’ £ . | Two of Us | Join us s four-week excursion through the wonders f The \iuseum! You and your little one will travel of The e the Ml ; exhibition halls, sing songs, hear stories, touch objects, and make art projects. Ideal for homeschoolers! Pass the peas, please, Friar Mendel: Come meet Gregor Mendel as the young boy who had a lot of questions about the world around him, just like you! TUESDAYS, JAN. 2-23, 10am-1lam Heart of Africa: Come learn about the important role of the heart in African cultures. TUESDAYS, FEB. 6-27, 10am—11am $32, members $27 for the series (includes general Museum admission). For each 3—5 year old child with paid attendance, one parent or adult chaperone attends for free. Cultural Connections i) Discover Chicago’s little known cultural assets! National Geographic Live! Lecture Don’t miss the final lecture in our Fall NGS Live! Series A Camera, Two Kids, and a Camel Annie Griffiths Belt, Photographer Go behind the lens with this master photographer as she shares her experiences in Africa, among the women of the Arab world, and other places where her camera has been her passport. With her two children in tow, Belt has been able to find common ground with her subjects through her experiences as a mother, helping her to immerse herself in other cultures. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 6, 7:30PM Patron (reserved seating): $30; TFM, NG and Geographic Society of Chicago members $28 General Admission: $24; TFM, NG and Geographic Society of Chicago members $22; Educators/students $15 ANNIE GRIFFITHS BELT ‘| Under the theme How We Teach... Teaches, this year’s Cultural Connections program brings together local ethnic museums and cultural | centers to explore the ways that when we teach one lesson, we are actually teaching many lessons—key values, beliefs, and modes of action. Join Field Museum staff and Cultural Connections partners for these early spring collaborations: Arab American Action Network and Hellenic Museum and Cultural Center SUNDAY, FEB. 25, 1-3:30em SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 11:30am—2em & 3:30-6Pm OF call 312.665.7474 to register for these programs. Cult; 5 x Li ail Comections has received generous support from the Institute of Museum and i : 5s Me Services, Kraft Foods Inc., Polk Bros. Foundation, CHASE, Richard H. Driehaus Wundati y tion, Charles and M.R. Shapiro Foundation and Chicago Park District. Impressions of Tsavo THROUGH JuLy 7, 2007 Indo-American Center and Korean American Resource and Cultural Center Please visit our Web site at www.fieldmuseum.org/ccuc/cultural.htm FM/SAMANTHA JOHNSON Cheyenne Visions THROUGH 2007 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC Explore the frontiers of human knowledge, from early Christianity and humanity’s journey out of Africa, to new primate species and the state of the oceans. These dynamic men and women will share eye-opening images and compelling stories from the frontlines of discovery, in our five events this coming spring. Deep Ancestry: Update on the Genographic Project Spencer Wells, Geneticist, Anthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Get a briefing and progress report on one of the most ambitious scientific research projects ever undertaken! Begun in 2005 under the direction of geneticist Spencer Wells, the Genographic Project seeks to unravel the history of human migration from our common homeland in Africa, by compiling the world’s largest selection of DNA samples from around the world. TUESDAY, FEB. 13, 7:30PM DAVID EVANS Wild Ocean Sylvia Earle, Marine Biologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Hear a report on the state of the world’s oceans from a woman Time magazine KIP EVANS named a “hero for the planet.” Also known as ‘‘Her Deepness,” Sylvia Earle has totaled more than 6,000 hours underwater and holds numerous diving records. She recently helped persuade President Bush to name a new National Marine Monument in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 7:30pm The Lost Gospel of Judas Marvin Meyer, Author and Scholar of Gnosticism Go behind the scenes of a discovery that electrified Biblical archaeology and scholarship, and captured the imagination KENNETH GARRETT of millions worldwide: the discovery of the “Gospel of Judas.” This long-lost text from the early history of Christianity offers a radically unconventional view of the relationship between Jesus and the disciple who “betrayed” him. Dr. Meyer, who helped to authenticate and translate this document, will share the story of its discovery, history and significance. TUESDAY, MARCH 6, 7:30pm My Wild Life: Discovery in Madagascar Mireya Mayor, Primatologist and Journalist MARK THIESSEN C. NGT Experience the thrill of scientific discovery with Mireya Mayor, a primatologist specializing in lemurs who is also an Emmy-nominated correspondent for National Geographic Explorer. This daughter of Cuban immigrants will describe her life in the worlds of science and television, with a particular focus on her breakthrough © discovery of a new lemur species in Madagascar. TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 7:30PM The Photographic Life Sam Abell, National Geographic Photographer = SAM ABELL Share the excitement, intrigue, frustration, heartbreak, and joy of covering the world for National Geographic. One of the most respected names in photography, Sam Abell has been acclaimed for bringing an artist’s sensibility to photojournalism, and offers a thoughtful retrospective on his distinguished career. TUESDAY, MAY 8, 7:30pm Series Subscriptions > On Sale December 6 Explorers Circle: Ensure the continuation of NG Live! Benefits include reserved seating, a private reception with a presenter and a signed book: $390; TFM, NG and Geographic Society of Chicago members $375 Patron (reserved seating): $140; TFM, NG and Geographic Society of Chicago members $125. General admission: $105; TFM, NG and Geographic Society of Chicago members $90; Educators/students $60. Individual Events > On Sale January 17 Patron (reserved seating): $30; TFM, NG and Geographic Society of Chicago members $28. General admission: $24; TFM, NG and Geographic Society of Chicago members $22; Educators/students $15. Ponder the riches of nature and culture New Exhibition! Treasures of the Titans JANUARY 26-JUNE 3, 2007 Treasures of the Titans features jewelry and objects belonging to iconic figures Final days for Tut tickets! Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs THROUGH JANUARY 1, 2007 The magic and majesty of ancient Egypt of the twentieth century such as Elvis Presley and Sophia Loren. Presented in the Grainger Hall of Gems, the exhibition highlights objects that reflect the character and style of the people who possessed them. : 3 This exhibition is organized by The National Jewelry Institute. and King Tut come to Chicago’s world famous Field Museum. See a spectacular new exhibi- IMPRESSIONS OF TSAVO THROUGH JULY 7, 2007 Dazzling color photographs reveal the remarkable wildlife, tion of nearly 130 dazzling Egyptian treasures enhanced by new technology. Visit magnificent Chicago and experience the wonders of King Tut at the place for all things landscape, and people of the Tsavo region in East Africa. Egypt—The Field Museum. This exhibition was organized by The Field Museum. An exhibition from National Geographic. Organized by Arts and Exhibitions International CHEYENNE VISIONS THROUGH 2007 and AEG Exhibitions in association with VISITOR INFORMATION The Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt and The Field Museum. Tour Sponsor: Northern Trust CANOPIC COFFINETTE OF TUTANKHAMUN ACTUAL SIZE 18 INCHES rrr) a < a = iw a > = 2 ia x = 2 < 2 3 o ° > ut wo < w r=} 2 < GETTING HERE Field Museum visitors can park in Soldier Field’s parking garage. Visit www.fieldmu- seum.org for information on parking lots/rates, free trolleys and public transit. HOURS Regular hours are 9am—5pm daily. Last admission at 4pm. Hours are subject to change. Please consult the Museum’s website for the most up-to-date information. Please note the Museum closes at 5pm even when an evening event is scheduled. Event participants will be asked to leave the building until 30 minutes before their event begins. Chicago Sponsor: Exelon, Proud Parent of ComEd FM/DIANE ALEXANDER WHITE Celebrate the artistic vibrancy of Cheyenne history and present-day culture through beautiful color photographs of Cheyenne art and artifacts. This exhibition was organized by The Field Museum. ADMISSION AND TICKETS For this special engagement of Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, members (except for Royal Tut and Tut at Twilight members) will be eligible to purchase exhibition tickets at a reduced rate of $10 (versus $25 for non-members). Family members are eligible for up to 4 discounted tickets; Individual, Senior and National Affiliate members are eligible for up to 2 discounted tickets; Student members are eligible for 1 discounted ticket. Tickets can be purchased by calling 312.665.7705 Monday-Friday from 8:30am—4:30pm or picked up at the Membership Services Desk at the South or East Entrance during your next visit. Royal Tut and Tut at Twilight Members should call 312.665.7929 to reserve their exhibition tickets. For more information, please visit www.fieldmuseum. org/membership. For non-members, The Field Museum’s gold pass, which includes general admission plus one of our other special exhibitions such as Tutankhamun or Underground Adventure, ranges in price from $8 to $25, depending on your age category and whether you are a Chicago resident. Please bring your ID to receive the appropriate ticket price. Tickets are available at the Museum’s admission desks, or in advance via www.fieldmuseum.org or 866.FIELD.03. For all admission and ticket details, visit www.fieldmuseum.org. ACCESSIBILITY Visitors using wheelchairs or strollers may be dropped off at the new East Entrance. Handicapped parking and wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The West Museum parking lot is also available for handicapped parking on a first-come, first-served basis, and the West Entrance is also handicap-accessible. Call 312.665.7400 to check on the accessi- bility of programs that take place outside of the Museum. INFORMATION 312.922.9410 or www.fieldmuseum.org The Field Museum salutes the people of Chicago for their long-standing, generous support of the Museum through the Chicago Park District. In addition, Museum programs are partially supported by a CityArts Program 4 Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency. In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, we do not discriminate on the basis of sex in our programs or activities. Please call 312.665.7271 to contact our Title IX Coordinator in the human resources department should you have any questions or concerns. JOHN WEINSTEIN/A114445 17D SCIENTIST’S PICK The Moche Owl-Warrior: A Link to Ancient Peru See It in Upcoming Exhibition Nearly 2,000 years ago, an ancient civilization that we call the Moche emerged along the northern coast of present-day Peru. Although the Moche lacked a system of writing, modern scholars have learned much about their civilization by studying the archaeological record, in particular, many ceramic vessels. One stunning Moche vessel in the Museum’ collection depicts an owl-warrior (shown in photos). By combining a human body with the head and wings of an owl, along with hands firmly clutching a weapon, the artist may have been depicting a supernatural being prepared for battle. Moche artisans often combined human and animal characteristics to show the similarities between the acts of war and hunting, and perhaps even to channel animal spirits to help their warriors. The archaeological record shows that warfare was a prevalent part of Moche society, and the pottery supports this. Many vessels depict men of high status holding clubs and other weapons. There are also vessels that display captives of war with their hands tied behind their backs. The owl-warrior was collected for presentation at the World’s Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893. The organizers of this event commissioned W.E. Safford, a naval officer, to lead an expedition to South America to collect objects for exhibition. From 1891-1892, Safford explored Peru and Bolivia, excavating sites once inhabited by pre-Columbian societies. When the exposition concluded, The Field Museum was established to provide a permanent home for these objects and make them available for public viewing. This Moche piece was one of nearly 33,000 arti- facts that formed the core of the Museum’s anthropology collection. The owl-warrior has not been on exhibition since 1997, when the Field closed its previous South America gallery to make room for the new Main Museum Store. It will reappear in spring 2007 as part of a new permanent exhibition, The Ancient Americas. The exhibition will feature nearly 2,500 artifacts from North, Central, and South America, highlighting the societies that populated the Americas prior to the arrival of the Europeans in the 15th century. ITF JOHN WEINSTEIN/A114445 02D This Scientist's Pick was contributed by Daniela Bono, collections assistant, The Ancient Americas. The Ancient Americas is made possible by the McCormick Tribune Foundation. The Empire Builders Gallery is presented by the Abbott Fund. The Innovators Gallery is presented by ITW Foundation. WINTER 2006/07 * DECEMBER-FEBRUARY 5 IN THE FIELD FEATURE Meet a New Generation of Scientists Funded by the National Science Foundation and Mentored by Field Museum Curators By Lance Grande, PhD, Senior Vice President, Collections and Research, and Curator of Fossil Fishes; Deborah Bekken, PhD, Sponsored Programs Director; and Nancy O’Shea, Editor Postdoctoral fellowships are an impo rtant part of training future professionals in science. These awards are for recently graduated students with PhDs and are full-time positions that usually last either one or two years. They are an important part of every major academic institution, both in terms of keeping new academic blood flowing through the institution, and in terms of allowing young scientists to collaborate with established scientists working in their areas of interest. At The Field Museum we have a number of postdoctoral fellowship awards including the Boyd and Meeker awards. But by far the largest postdoctoral program we have is through the National Science Foundation (NSF), an agency committed to furthering postdoctoral education in science and engineering fields. Currently, there are eight full-time researchers on staff at the Museum occupying NSF-funded postdoctoral positions. In the following pages, we invite you to meet these scientists. PETER AVIS Fungus rem Lencunk = DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY Collections Adjunct Curstor Mycology : ‘ Dr. Avis joined The Field Museum in 2004 after earning his PhD at the Andrea Adic = = University of Minnesota. His postdoctoral research focuses on a special group of mutualistic fungi that engage plant roots to form a symbiotic relationship called a mycorrhiza. These fungi are very important to the health of many Peter Avis, Ph.D. STUNDIN | Research Associsty plants and terrestrial ecosystems because they provide plants nutrients and thereby act as key links in nutrient cycles. However, the relationship between the fungi and plants is vulnerable to perturbations such as air pollution. Working with Gregory Mueller, PhD, curator in the Museum’s Botany Department, Dr. Avis conducts NSF-funded research on mycorrhizal fungi and their role in Chicago area oak forests that are experiencing nitrogen deposition, an increasingly common type of air pollution downwind of major centers of industry and agriculture. In his own words: My research combines field surveys for mushrooms and roots in forests across the Chicago region with DNA fingerprinting analyses conducted in the Museum’s Pritzker Laboratory to test how nitrogen pollution impacts the diversity and function of mycorrhizal fungt. ‘,..the excellent reputation of our curators attracts a high caliber of postdoctoral talent.’ MATTHEW GREIF DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY Dr. Greif came to The Field Museum as a post-._ doctoral researcher after completing his PhD at the University of Alberta in 2006. He is interested in the taxonomy and development of species in MATTHEW GREIF the Ascomycota, (a phylum in the kingdom Fungi), in particular those with perithecial (bottle-shaped) and cleistothecial (ball-shaped) fruiting bodies in the ascomycete subclass Sordariomycetidae. Dr. Greif is conducting his Field Museum research with Sabine Huhndorf, PhD, assistant curator in the Botany Department. They work in collaboration with Andrew Miller, PhD, at the University of Illinois, and Alberto Stchigel, PhD, at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili in Reus, Spain. This project is funded by an NSF grant. In his own words: Scientists have formally described only about 10 percent of an estimated one million species of fungi worldwide. Even less is known about how fungi interact with their environments. By using a combination of morphological and molecular characters, we hope to be able to better understand how fungi in the Sordariomycetidae are related to each other, and how particular features in this group have evolved over time. ERIC HILTON DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY Dr. Hilton came to The Field Museum in 2002 after completing his PhD at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Currently he is in his second two-year NSF-funded postdoctoral position working with Lance Grande, PhD, senior vice president, head of collections and research, and curator of fossil fishes. The two scientists have been working on a series of collaborative projects focusing primarily on fossil and living sturgeons, SARAH K. HUBER a group of fish best known as the source for premier caviar. Sturgeons are extremely imperiled and are found throughout the large rivers, lakes, and near-shore marine environments of the Northern Hemisphere. The extant species also represent a group of “living fossils’—the last remnants of a primitive group of ray-finned fishes. The research conducted by Drs. Hilton and Grande is generating much new, detailed information about sturgeon anatomy and evolution. In his own words: One of the more exciting results of this project so far has been the description of a new primitive genus of sturgeon from the Late Cretaceous (78 million years ago) of Montana. By studying both fossil and living sturgeons side by side, we are able to get a more complete understanding about their evolutionary history and diversity. \ ' KENTARO HOSAKA DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY Dr. Hosaka is originally from Tsukuba City, Japan. After completing his PhD ‘at Oregon State University in 2005, he joined The Piglet Museum as a postdoc- SF LN toral researcher. Since then, he and Gregory Mueller, PhD, curator, Department of Botany, have generated a vast amount of DNA sequence data of Laccaria, one of the most abundant mush- room genera in the TAKAKO HOSAKA world, in order to understand the evolutionary history of the genus. Laccaria is known to form a symbiotic association with many trees, so understanding the evolution of Laccaria is critical to understanding forest ecology. Drs. Hosaka and Mueller collected Laccaria specimens during recent trips to Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. In his own words: The preliminary results of our collecting trips indicate that Laccaria originated in the Southern Hemisphere, but the exact location of its origin is still unclear. We plan more trips in the near future to further clarify the biogeography of this genus. The main questions to be answered include: When and where did Laccaria originate? What is the most ancient symbiotic host for Laccaria? And, how many species of Laccaria exist in the world? WINTER 2006/07 * DECEMBER-FEBRUARY 11 ) } KEVIN PITZ DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY Dr. Pitz began his work at The Field Museum in 2006, a few months after receiving his PhD from the University of Kentucky. His postdoctoral work at the Museum is part of an NSF- funded PEET grant (Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy) for the SHARKEY ™~ . WA bv, study of millipedes. Together with Petra MICHAEL Sierwald, PhD, associate curator in the Museum’ insect division, Dr. Pitz has developed research questions about evolution within the millipede order Spirobolida. Both morphological and molecular data will be employed to elucidate the relationships within and among families of Spirobolida. The relationships proposed by the work of Drs. Pitz and Sierwald then will be used to answer broader evolutionary questions, especially those about biogeography. In his own words: Questions about biogeography include investigating whether or not closely related families and genera are found in the same geographic regions. The answers to these questions can help in understanding when and how these groups diverged from each other. Previously, I worked on projects that studied spiders and insects; I’m very pleased to work with and learn about a third group of arthropods— millipedes—at The Field Museum. SUSHMA REDDY DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY Dr. Reddy earned her PhD in 2004 from Columbia University and the American Museum of Natural History in New York. She is now a postdoc- toral fellow working with Shannon Hackett, PhD, associate curator in the Museum’ bird division. Drs. Reddy and Hackett are participating in a large-scale project on the evolutionary history of birds, funded by the NSF as part of its Assembling the Tree of Life Program. The main goal of this project, called Early Bird, is to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships of modern (living) birds. Scientists believe the diversification of birds occurred very rapidly with most of the modern lineages originating within a relatively short period of time, making it difficult to study the history of this very diverse group. In order to address this challenging issue, the Early Bird group has assembled a large and diverse DNA sequence dataset for birds. In her own words: The dataset we've assembled is so enormous that some of the analyses have tested the limits of the computational tools available for phylogenetics research. Nevertheless, the resulting evolutionary tree is robust and has uncovered many interesting and unexpected relationships among the lineages of birds. When completed, this tree will be useful for understanding other aspects of avian biology, such as biogeography, ecology, and behavior. ALEXEY SOLODOVNIKOV DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY Dr. Solodovnikov received his PhD in 1997 from Russia’s St. Petersburg University. In 2002, he joined The Field Museum as a postdoctoral researcher to study systematics and DAVE J. CLARKE biogeography of rove beetles (family Staphylinidae) of the Southern Hemisphere. Rove beetles are an extremely diverse insect group—about 50,000 species of small, slender bugs living on the ground. Dr. Solodovnikov’s work at the Field is funded by the NSF Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET) grant awarded to Margaret Thayer, PhD, and Alfred Newton, PhD, Field Museum insect division associate curators. Dr. Solodovnikov’s work with Drs. Thayer and Newton has led to the discovery of dozens of new species, several new genera, and one new tribe of rove beetles. Close examination of their morphology and DNA helps to reconstruct the evolutionary history of Staphylinidae across the entire globe. In his own words: The NSF grant that funds my work aims to improve the very poor state of knowledge of rove beetles in South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and other southern land masses. Millions of years ago these lands were parts of one super continent, Gondwana. Due to such biotic history, rove beetles from these areas have much in common and should be examined together. STACEY WECKSTEIN JASON WECKSTEIN DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY Dr. Weckstein received his PhD from Louisiana State University in 2003 and now is a postdoctoral fellow working with John Bates, PhD, chair of The Field Museum’s Zoology Department and associate curator of the bird division. Dr. Weckstein studies the evolutionary biology of parasitic chewing lice and their bird hosts (toucans). He, Dr. Bates, and their Brazilian collaborator Alexandre Aleixo, PhD, have an NSF Systematic Biology research grant— the source of funding for Dr. Weckstein’s research. Dr. Weckstein collects specimens in the field and then conducts DNA analyses in the Museum’s Pritzker Laboratory to reconstruct the history of associations between two co-distributed toucans and two parasitic chewing louse groups that live on the toucans. His main objective is to compare how different parasites that differ in features of biology and ecology respond over evolutionary time to the ongoing evolution of their toucan hosts. In his own words: My work addresses a central question: Do ectoparasites share a common evolutionary history with their hosts? The answer lies in reconstructing the history of interactions between hosts and parasites by super- imposing the parasite’s evolutionary history onto the host’s evolutionary history. Insights gained from this simple system will shed light on patterns of diversification in the more complex systems of free-living organisms. KS The Impact of Our Partnership with NSF The Field Museum receives an exceptionally high number of postdoctoral positions from the National Science Foundation largely because the excellent reputation of our curators attracts a high caliber of postdoctoral talent. Listed below are some recent examples of our past NSF postdoctoral fellows, and the positions they received after leav- ing the Museum. (Museum curatorial sponsors’ names are in parentheses.) Dr. Michael Alfaro (Mark Westneat), associate professor of biology, University of Southern Maine; Dr. Jason Bond (Petra Sierwald), associate professor of biology, East Carolina University; Dr. Rauri Bowie (Shannon Hackett), curator of ornithology, University of California, Berkeley; Dr. Andrew Miller (Sabine Huhndorf), curator of botany, Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign; Dr. Russel Minton (Riidiger Bieler), assistant profes- sor of biology, University of Louisiana; Dr. Mario dePinna (Lance Grande), vice director, Museu de Zoologia da Universidad de Sao Paulo, Brazil; Dr. Timothy Rawlings (Riidiger Bieler), assistant professor of biology, Cape Breton University, Nova Scotia; Dr. Luiz Simone (Riidiger Bieler), curator of invertebrates, Museu de Zoologia da Universidad de Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Dr. Jeffery Walker (Mark Westneat), associate professor of biology, University of Southern Maine. It is clear that the National Science Foundation is enabling The Field Museum to help shape the next generation of scientists. The synergies of collaboration between the Museum and the NSF are making a significant impact on society. The results of this impact range from the discovery of new scientific knowledge, to the improvement of scientific literacy through the students that will be trained by these Museum postdoctoral fellows. We look forward to this academic partnership continuing well into the future. ITF WINTER 2006/07 * DECEMBER-FEBRUARY 13 FROM THE ARCHIVES Detective Work Recalls Galapagos Expedition Last spring, I received an e-mail from Cecilia Alvear, a field producer with NBC News | who was born in the Galapagos Islands, where her father was the military governor. Alvear was researching her family history and writing her memoirs. She had found an old Field Museum magazine (called the Bulletin at that time) that contained an intriguing photo of her family members posed on a ship sailing on a Galapagos Islands expedition. Alvear’s information about the expedition led me to a remarkably well preserved collection of Kodachrome slides made in 1941. I was able to find several slides of Alvear’s family, including one of her older sister at the age of three playing on the deck of the ship with small penguins the expedition members kept as pets. | hope one day to see some of these photographs in Alvear’s book. — Nina Cummings, Field Museum Photo Archivist - ‘Alvear’s information about the expedition > led me to a remarkably well preserved collection of Kodachrome slides made in 1941,’ —— ee SEL — THE FIELD ML ee The Story of the Mandel Expedition — The voyage Alvear referred to is known as the Mandel Expedition. It set sail for the Galapagos Islands in 1941, on a yacht chartered and financed by 2 Leon Mandel, a wealthy Chicago department store mogul. Accompanying him were the following Field Museum scientists: Rudyerd Boulton, curator ee ee, of birds, Loren P. Woods, assistant curator of fishes, Leon L. Walters, staff taxidermist, Melvin Traylor, associate in ornithology, Ronald Lambert, volunteer assistant taxidermist, and Wilfred H. Osgood, curator emeritus, Department of Zoology and the author of the original Field Museum THE FIELD ML i Seo am Bulletin article on the expedition. . Top: A photo from the 1941 Mandel The three-month voyage sailed from Havana and stopped at all of the . = Je ; Expedition. Captain John McGuire (second larger and most of the smaller islands in the Galapagos archipelago. The crew’s ; from left) and Leon Mandel (far right). principle objectives were to secure specimens, conduct underwater studies, and ; ne take color photographs of the unique wildlife and habitats. Above: Laura Trivirio de Alvear and her = 2 The fish collection that resulted from the Mandel Expedition was ) daughter Alexandra with penguins the crew : . : exceptionally varied and comprehensive, including more than 1,500 specimens members kept as pets. 2 = : from nearly 200 different species. Among these were a rare 340-pound striped marlin caught by Mandel himself, and the golden grouper, a fish that looks like a domestic goldfish but weighs up to 50 pounds. The photographs taken during the trip provided an invaluable supplement to the collections. The color photographs of living fishes, whose natural colors disappear immediately after death, were especially important and guaranteed accuracy in future Museum exhibitions. — Stephanie Lee, Writer ; Membership News Save the Date! 56th Annual Members’ Nights on April 4 and 5, 2007 Join us for our biggest member event of the year, and celebrate the opening of The Ancient Americas and Dinosaurs: Ancient Fossils, New Discoveries. ; This wooden torso of King Tut is featured in Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs. Go behind the scenes and meet our scientists, participate in activities, explore our collections, tour our new, state-of-the-art Collections Resource Center, and much more! Reserve Your Tickets Calling to purchase tickets for Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the © ANDREAS F. VOEGELIN Pharaohs? Reserve your Mendel tickets at the same time! Our membership call center is open 8:30am—4:30pm, Monday through Friday (312.665.7705). TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION! If you are a Tut at Twilight Member and have not already secured your oN 5 Many buses and rail lines provide access two complimentary tickets, we encourage you to do so now! There are : to The Field Museum. only four connoisseur viewing nights left: Dec. 26—29. Call 312.665.7929 to reserve your tickets. For more information, call 888.YOURCTA : : ‘ or visit www. transitchicago.com Give the Gift of Membership 5 This holiday season, give the gift of Field Museum Membership! Visit www.rtachicago.com for regional Call 312.665.7700 to order your gift membership today! transit information. REMEMBERING JOAN WEBBER Newly signed tax legislation makes giving before year-end more important than ever! The IRA charitable rollover provision states that individuals aged 70 !/2 and older may immediately make gifts from their ' d Le ; : a : The Field Museum is sad- Individual Retirement Accounts to charitable organizations without tax al $100,000 f h bl £006 and dened to report that Joan t " tax tax 2 penalty up to per taxpayer for each taxable year o ani WWERBEE coeeea i rE TOR July 5, 2006. Mrs. Webber was a vital contributor to 2007. There has never been a better time to give to, or renew your MARK WIDHALM/GN90412 12D support of The Founders’ Council at $2,500 or above. Donors at this level receive a number of benefits including four complimentary tickets to 3 the work of the Museum; she was a long-time Tutankl d the Golden A the Pl , and exclusive behind- ulanRnamum an 1é olden Lge of 1€ ravaohs ana exclusive Ddenin wales an aint: of he Waren Beard the-scenes access to our scientific staff. For more information on the new ; hs, i : and The Founders’ Council. Her late husband, tax legislation and donating to The Founders’ Council, please call 312.665.7714. In addition, a gift to The Field Museum’s Annual Fund not only Leland Webber, was director and president of The Field Museum from 1962 to 1981. helps to finance extraordinary exhibitions, but directly supports the scientific ‘Joan Webber was a dedicated and enthusiastic research and conservation currently being conducted by Field Museum supporter of The Field Museum,” said Museum scientists in over 70 countries. Be sure to make your tax deductible gift before President John McCarter. “She was a gracious Dec. 31, 2006 to receive tax benefits for this calendar year! For more infor- Museum ambassador who warmly welcomed mation on The Annual Fund, please call 312.665.7777 or visit us online visitors at the information desk each week for at www.fieldmuseum.org/annualfund more than 15 years. We will miss her enthusi- asm and wonderful presence.’ SPECIAL MUSEUM NEWS CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN, HONOR SOMEONE SPECIAL, AND TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN OUR MISSION BY “ADOPTING” A FIELD MUSEUM TREASURE! Please Note Special Hours! Fieldiana—The Field’s Scientific Publication Find Great Holiday Gifts at Our Stores WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IN THE FIELD?