UW’s Harlow Summer Seminar Series June 22-Aug. 3 in Teton County

A full slate of weekly evening presentations on topics of local and international interest is on the schedule for the 2023 Harlow Summer Seminar Series in Jackson and at the renovated University of Wyoming-National Park Service (UW-NPS) Research Station. The facility is located at the AMK Ranch in Grand Teton National Park.

The events will run every Thursday from June 22-Aug. 3, with a 5:30 p.m. barbecue followed by a 6:30 p.m. seminar. The events are free and open to the public, although a $10 donation is suggested.

The research station, a cooperative effort between UW and the NPS for the past 66 years, supports research in Grand Teton National Park and surrounding areas. The research station is located on the AMK Ranch historic district on a peninsula extending into Jackson Lake near Leeks’ Marina.

The specific locations of the evening events -- in Jackson or at the AMK Ranch -- will be available at www.uwnps.org, where those interested can join a mailing list.

“We are excited to resume normal operations of the station, welcoming researchers from diverse UW departments and from all over the world back to the station to continue ongoing research and start new ones,” says Michael Dillon, a professor in UW’s Department of Zoology and Physiology who directs the UW-NPS Research Station. “We look forward to hosting the public as we resume our popular seminar series, also available via Zoom this year.”

The UW-NPS Research Station provides a base for university faculty members and government scientists from around the world to conduct research in the diverse aquatic and terrestrial environments of Grand Teton National Park and the greater Yellowstone area.

Formerly called the AMK Ranch Talk Series, the Harlow Summer Seminar Series is named after retired UW Department of Zoology and Physiology Professor Hank Harlow, who helped make the UW-NPS Research Station a significant center for research and community outreach. Harlow began the popular weekly public seminars during the summer months.

Here is the schedule:

-- June 22: “Cutthroat trout conservation: challenges and opportunities,” featuring Annika Walters, an assistant professor and assistant leader of the Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at UW.

-- June 29: “Is protecting isolated populations enough? On the role of Yellowstone National Park in the recovery of river otters in the Rocky Mountains,” featuring Merav Ben-David, a professor in the UW Department of Zoology and Physiology.

-- July 6: “The Serengeti wildebeest migration: ecology and conservation in a changing world,” featuring Grant Hopcraft, of the University of Glasgow.

-- July 13: “The remarkable recovery of the Yellowstone grizzly bear: biology, science and management,” featuring Frank van Manen, of the U.S. Geological Survey.

-- July 20: “The Wyoming Festival: New Music in the Mountains,” fresh chamber music inspired by the history, culture, nature and science of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, featuring UW’s Anne Guzzo and Holly Mulcahy, Grand Teton Music Festival violinist and concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony.

-- July 27: “A (brief) history of research and partnership between UW and Grand Teton National Park,” featuring Harlow and Harold Bergman, former directors of the UW-NPS Research Station.

-- Aug. 3: “America’s largest classroom: what we learn from our national parks,” featuring Ana Houseal, an associate professor in UW’s College of Education.

For more information, email Hilary Rollins at hrollins@uwyo.edu.