Mushroom Club: Become a Citizen Scientist, Nov 3 @ 7:30 pm

Illinois Mycological Association presents:

"Become a Citizen Scientist"
with Patrick Leacock

Monday, November 3, 2014
7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Kendall College
900 N. North Branch Street, Chicago, IL 60646

The IMA is pleased to feature Chicago Field Museum Adjunct Curator and IMA member, Dr. Patrick Leacock, as he teaches us how to collect and document fungi like a pro.

Patrick is one of our favorite “in-house” experts, leads many of the IMA forays, and is always generous in sharing his wealth of knowledge for public education. Join us how to learn you can become a “citizen scientist,” working with and learning from experts through organizations like the IMA!

For further information about Patrick and his work, visit
https://www.fieldmuseum.org/about/staff/profile/691 and http://www.mycoguide.com/

Just a few hours before at the Field Museum:

This talk is at 5:30 PM next Monday at the Field Museum. Free to the public. Use the West Entrance. But don't stay too long since you have to make it to Kendall College on Goose Island for my mushroom club presentation at 7:30 PM.

Lichens are fungi that form symbioses with photosynthetic organisms (algae or cyanobacteria). On one hand they are sensitive to certain pollutants, on the other they accumulate pollutants such as trace metals. Lichen diversity proved to be well correlated with the incidence of lung cancer in Northern Italy. Techniques for lichen biomonitoring are now standardized at European level, and in some countries the results are accepted as evidence in court cases against polluting industries.

Join us to hear esteemed botanist Pier Luigi Nimis, Professor of Botany at the University of Trieste in Italy, discuss what lichens can tell us about our own health and local air quality. And, get a sneak peak of the upcoming exhibition, Lichens, opening in the Brooker Gallery on December 17th!

Professor Nimis was President of the Italian Lichen Society (1987-1993), Secretary of the Lichen Commission of O.P.T.I.M.A. (1993-2003), Member of the Executive Council of the International Mycological Association, Editor-in-chief of the International Lichenological Newsletter (1997-2000), President of the International Association of Lichenology (2000-2004), and Member of the International Committee for Botanical Nomenclature, member of the group of evaluation experts of ANVUR (National Agency for the evaluation of the University System and Research) for the area ‘Biological Sciences’ (2012). He was awarded with the golden Panda of W.W.F. for his biomonitoring studies with lichens, with the O.P.T.I.M.A. medal (1995) for the best study on the Mediterranean flora, and with the International Ferrari-Soave Prize for Biology from the Academy of Sciences of Turin (2009).

This event will take place in Ward Hall at The Field Museum, and is free to the public. To gain admittance after public hours, please use the Museum's West Entrance.

http://www.fieldmuseum.org/at-the-field ... man-health