Sept. 26, 6:00 p.m., Dr. Anitra Thorhaug, ecologist and research professor at Yale University, will present a lecture, “Western Hemisphere and Critical Accidents on Natural Resources”; this will be followed at 6:40 p.m. by American poet Andrew H. Oerke who will read new poems about language and Africa based upon his personal experience.

ANITRA THORHAUG

An American ecologist, who has influenced many countries, including the USA, in developing policies and programs for the conservation and restoration of coastal ecosystems. Her work on seagrass rehabilitation and management has helped developing countries on 5 continents where she has set up demonstration projects with the involvement of local people, especially fishermen and women.

Dr. Thorhaug’s recent work on oil spill clean-up with model projects in 3 continents caused IOC/UNEP to send her to the Middle East (ROPME sea) after the Kuwait war to assess damage to each nation of the Gulf. She has worked with governments, universities and NGOs in developing countries in Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, Asia and Middle East on these problems.

ANDREW H. OERKE

The New York Times and International Herald Tribune have called him a poet “whose muse is a world traveler.” Andrew Oerke has lived many lives. After suggesting the idea of the Peace Corps to Jerry Clark, Kennedy’s campaign manager in Wisconsin, he went on to become a Peace Corps Director in Africa and the Caribbean, and was for many years president of a private and voluntary organization working in developing countries. Oerke worked and visited in more than 160 countries, is a Golden Gloves champ, football player, university professor and Poet-in-Residence, dean of administration at one of the largest community colleges in the US, US Korean War veteran, World Bank consultant, and consultant to the United Nations on the Gulf War, on financial services, and on the environment.

He has published several books of poetry, African Stiltdancer, San Miguel de Allende, Never Seek to Tel Thy Love. For these two books, in 2003 Andrew Oerke was distinguished with the United Nations Award for Literature by the UN Society of Writers and Artists. Selected poems for the first two books were published in a bilingual English/Bulgarian edition in Bulgaria in 2008, Songs of Africa and San Miguel de Allende. He is now living in the US, and has returned full time to writing poetry, his first love.