Carr lecturer Clark to discuss science, policy, conservation

Science, policy, and wildlife conservation will be among the topics of discussion when Jamie Rappaport Clark, president and CEO of Defenders of Wildlife, visits Skidmore this week.

Clark, who is the Robert O. Carr Distinguished Interdisciplinary Lecturer at Skidmore this fall, will give a public talk titled "The Policy Environment" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11. Free and open to the public, the talk will be in Gannett Auditorium, Palamountain Hall. A reception will follow.

Recognized as a leading national expert on the Endangered Species Act and imperiled wildlife, Clark will explore the intersection between environmental science and public policy, and provide insight into current issues as well as career opportunities.

Clark, who is known for her lifelong commitment to wildlife and conservation, chose a career in wildlife biology. In her early college years, she released peregrine falcons into the wild as part of a successful recovery effort—so successful, in fact, that 20 years later, while director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, she had the honor of removing them from the list of endangered species.

She joined the Defenders of Wildlife in 2004, after a 20-year career in conservation with the federal government, mostly with the Fish and Wildlife Service, where she served as director from 1997 to 2001. During her tenure, Clark oversaw the establishment of 27 new refuges and the addition of over two million acres to the National Wildlife Refuge System and presided over the recovery of key endangered species, such as the bald eagle, gray wolf and the Aleutian Canada goose.

Clark also worked for the adoption of a number of innovative policies to encourage landowners to voluntarily conserve wildlife, including the establishment of the Safe Harbor Program and an expanded Candidate Conservation Program. Under her leadership, the service secured the passage of the landmark National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 — the most sweeping reform legislation for refuges in 30 years — which established wildlife conservation as the primary purpose of all wildlife refuges.

A graduate of Towson University, where she earned a B.S. degree in wildlife biology, Clark earned an M.S. degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Maryland.

Skidmore's Carr residency provides students and faculty with opportunities to interact with influential leaders and professionals, including policy makers, government officials, and business leaders, who are on the cutting edge of social issues, non-profit and public-service innovations, and social responsibility.