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Dr. Ksepka’s topic, “Flight of the World’s Largest Bird” will detail the discovery, reconstruction and computer modeling of flight  style in Pelagornis sandersi, an extinct bird he described in 2014.  This species had a wing span of approximately 20 feet, making it the largest flying bird that ever lived.  He studied the fossil, unearthed in Charleston SC, while he was a fellow at NESCent (a research center on Duke campus) in NC.

There is a life-size model of the bird in the Bruce Museum’s rotunda at the moment, on loan from the Smithsonian.

To get an idea how large this bird was, compare the drawing below to California Condor, below left, and the Wandering Albatross, below right. 

Dr. Daniel T. Ksepka, Ph.D., Curator Bruce Museum

Museums are my home, and I am broadly interested in building natural history collections, museum-based outreach and education, and presenting compelling topics in exhibitions.  My research centers on the evolution of birds, with particular interests in phylogeny, divergence dating, and the transition to wing-propelled diving in penguins.

Current Research Projects

• Modeling the flight patterns of the largest flying bird ever to have lived, Pelagornis sandersi.
• Reconstructing patterns of brain size expansion in dinosaurs and birds. This project was initiated during a Catalysis Meeting funded by NESCent (NSF EF 0905606) titled “A Deeper Look into the Avian Brian: Using Modern Imaging to Unlock Ancient Endocasts”, with Amy Balanoff and N. Adam Smith.
• Inferring phylogeny and patterns of morphological change in the best group of birds: penguins!This research is currently funded by NSF award DEB: 1556615 “Collaborative Research: Advancing Bayesian Phylogenetic Methods for Synthesizing Paleontological and Neontological Data” with Tracy Heath and Rob Meredith.
• Assembling a full species level tree for all 10,000+ species of birds. As a paleontologist I am particularly interested in using fossil data to accurately reconstruct the timing of the modern bird radiation in order to better understand how events like extinctions, climate change, and plate tectonic events influenced avian evolution.This research is currently funded by NSF award DEB 1655736 “All Birds: A Time-scaled Avian Tree from Integrated Phylogenomic and Fossil Data” with Brian Smith, F. Keith Barker, Edward Braun, Robb Brumfield, Terry Chesser, Brant Faircloth, Rebecca Kimball.

Education

• PhD, Columbia University (2007)
• MS, Columbia University (2005)
• BS, Rutgers University (2002)

Arranged by Robin & Charles Salmans

Here is his presentation: Pelagornis

Dr. Ksepka recommended these two sites:

https://www.newbrucescience.org

https://www.undertheskinexhibition.com

Moses built an empire and lived like an emperor. He was held in fear – his dossiers could disgorge the dark secrets of anyone who opposed him. He was, he claimed, above politics, above deals; and through decade after decade, the newspapers and the public believed.

Meanwhile, he was developing his public authorities into a fourth branch of government known as “Triborough” – a government whose records were closed to the public, whose policies and plans were decided not by voters or elected officials but solely by Moses – an immense economic force directing pressure on labor unions, on banks, on all the city’s political and economic institutions, and on the press, and on the Church. He doled out millions of dollars’ worth of legal fees, insurance commissions, lucrative contracts on the basis of who could best pay him back in the only coin he coveted: power. He dominated the politics and politicians of his time – without ever having been elected to any office. He was, in essence, above our democratic system.

Robert Moses held power in the state for 44 years, through the governorships of Smith, Roosevelt, Lehman, Dewey, Harriman, and Rockefeller, and in the city for 34 years, through the mayoralties of La Guardia, O’Dwyer, Impellitteri, Wagner, and Lindsay. He personally conceived and carried through public works costing $27 billion – he was undoubtedly America’s greatest builder.

Mark Nunan was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1953. At an early age, he moved to Homewood and then Hoover, Ala. He graduated from Indian Springs High School in 1971, where he was editor of the school newspaper and literary magazine, member of the Student Judiciary group and member of the soccer team. Mark graduated from the University of Alabama in 1976. He continued his education at Stanford University, where he was awarded a master’s in 1979 and a Ph.D. in 1983. During that same period, he was a George Lurcy Fellow at L’ENS normale supérieure and at the University of Paris-Sorbonne in Paris as part of his Ph.D. program. He was a member of Pi Kappa Phi academic honor society and participated in medical research in one of the largest blood pressure and cardiovascular disease research studies in the United States. Mark started his career with COS, Inc in 1982 in Palo Alto, Calif., and then transferred to Paris and New York City in 1980, where he retired as a senior vice president in 2018. COS is a private firm that provides business and economic development services, assisting companies and governments in researching, developing and implementing new business expansion opportunities, mainly in North America and Europe. Mark and his partner Isabelle live in Darien and have one son and a daughter-in-law and two grandsons living in Europe. He belongs to the Stanford Alumni Association, A-Ulm: Association des Anciens Eleves de I’Ecole normale supérieure and Phi Kappa Phi. His leisure activities include reading, investing, walking, hiking, travel, music and spectator sports; specifically, soccer and college football. Sponsored by Tom Haack

Slide presentation: DMA_RMOSES_MARKNUNAN_Final

Peter Igoe – Nuclear Submarine Operations

At our regular Zoom meeting on Wednesday, April 29, Peter Igoe (Tom Igoe’s brother) will lead a discussion on US nuclear submarine operations in the ’60s. This period was a tense time when our country and Russia were engaged as fierce competitors below the surface of the Atlantic.

Peter, who served as a Naval officer on two nuclear boats in that era, will describe operation of the main elements of the submarine’s nuclear propulsion system (including design and management of the reactor on board), the central role of Admiral Hyman Rickover in the development and oversight of strict nuclear safety standards for the US sub fleet, the command structure on board ship, the rules of engagement for a nuclear missile launch, and key advances in nuclear submarine technology that have taken place since the decade of the’60s.

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Peter was born in St. Louis, MO, in the summer of ’42. He attended college at Yale and was accepted into the US Navy “Regular” ROTC program. Peter graduated in 1964 from Yale with an AB in economics and was commissioned as an Ensign in the Regular Navy with a 5-year active duty commitment. He was immediately accepted into the US Navy nuclear submarine program and, after 18 months of training, served on two boats, the USS John Adams, SSBN 620 (5 Polaris patrols), and the USS Haddo, SSN 603 (special operations).

Following his service in the Navy, Peter obtained an MBA in finance from Stamford and went to work for Xerox, becoming Senior Vice President and CFO of Xerox Publications/Field Publications. Thereafter, he held the position of VP, Worldwide Operations, for Rodale Press.

Peter is married, with 3 children, 5 grandchildren and an 8-week old yellow lab who arrives home on May 2. He and his wife Ruth reside in Amelia Island, FL, and have a summer place on Beaver Island, in northern Lake Michigan.

Here is his presentation: Submarine Igoe

“Professor” Hester will lead a discussion of last week’s viewing of  “Rising Tide: Climate Change and the World’s Oceans” from the Great Decisions series published by the Foreign Policy Association.

You can view the documentary it at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA1ZxzkUHNI

Accepting that Climate Change is real and as a result, sea levels are on the rise, around the world. The video and next week’s discussion focuses on what we as citizens of the United States and citizens of the World can do about it. Is a reduction in the projection of average global temperature of 2 degrees Centigrade possible by 2050? Can the United States make a meaningful contribution by itself? Can, and should, the US be the global leader in reducing the causes of climate change?

Harris is a lecturer at NCC’s Lifetime Learners program.  He plans to use some of this material in a course planned for next year.  Harris’s CV Hester, Harris

The meeting will be held virtually.  Logon credentials will be sent separately.

“Professor” Hester will introduce the documentary “Rising Tide: Climate Change and the World’s Oceans” from the Great Decisions series published by the Foreign Policy Association.

Accepting that Climate Change is real and as a result, sea levels are on the rise, around the world. The video and next week’s discussion focuses on what we as citizens of the United States and citizens of the World can do about it. Is a reduction in the projection of average global temperature of 2 degrees Centigrade possible by 2050? Can the United States make a meaningful contribution by itself? Can, and should, the US be the global leader in reducing the causes of climate change?

This is the first of a two part presentation. The documentary that we will see in Part 1, is 26 minutes long.  You can view it at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA1ZxzkUHNI  Next week, Harris will discuss the questions raised above and take your comments and questions. Credentials for the meeting will be sent by email.

Harris is a lecturer at NCC’s Lifetime Learners program.  He plans to use some of this material in a course planned for next year.  Harris’s CV Hester, Harris

Charles Salmans will speak on production of the B-24 bomber at Willow Run, MI.  It is an inspiring story of American industrial might focused on defeating an existential foe.