Educational Opportunities
The following outreach opportunities are available for the public to interact with Iain Douglas-Hamilton and his fellow finalists for the 2010 Indianapolis Prize. Take advantage of these rare opportunities to meet, discuss, and learn from the most talented animal conservationists on the planet.
In a series of lectures in September, premier elephant expert and recipient of the 2010 Indianapolis Prize presented by Cummins Inc., Iain Douglas-Hamilton, Ph.D., will speak to the conservationists of tomorrow about his pursuit to save endangered species.
As president and CEO of Save the Elephants, Douglas-Hamilton has been recognized for his relentless protection and preservation of the African elephant. Four decades ago, Douglas-Hamilton pioneered the first in-depth scientific study of elephant social behavior that has set the standard for every study to follow. He led emergency anti-poaching efforts in Uganda to bring the elephant population there from the very brink of extinction. He has testified before Congress on behalf of his beloved elephants multiple times, leading to the African elephant bill, to date the most successful funding program for the species. His pioneering Global Positioning System (GPS) elephant tracking, widely emulated in Africa and Asia, has become a model survey technique.
The plight of the African elephant is intensely personal to Iain. He has studied, named and nurtured thousands of African elephants for generations, and it is this intimate understanding of and love for these magnificent mammals that drives Iain’s forceful efforts to secure a future for endangered African elephants.
Indiana special events open to the public include:
· Saturday, Sept. 25, 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. EDT – Meet a Hero, Be a Hero Day at the Indianapolis Zoo
Douglas-Hamilton, as well as George Schaller, the past laureate of the Indianapolis Prize, and other finalists, will meet the public and sign Indianapolis Prize conservationist collector cards that include details about the conservationists’ work and successes in the field. This event is free for Zoo members and included with regular Zoo admission. In addition, there will be conservation-related activities for children. Educational programming is presented by Cummins Inc.
· Monday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m. EDT – Woods Science Lecture Series
Douglas-Hamilton will speak at the Reilly Room on the Butler University campus in Indianapolis as part of its Woods Science Lecture Series. Students and the public will learn more about the fascinating life and research of Dr. Douglas-Hamilton as this "rock star" of conservationists blazed the trail in Africa’s wild places. This event is open free to the public. Educational programming is presented by Cummins Inc.
· Tuesday, Sept. 28, 7 p.m. EDT – Simulcast: A Life with Elephants
Broadcast live from the high-tech David Letterman Communication and Media Building on the Ball State University campus in front of a studio audience, the program will be webcast to universities, zoos, aquariums and other educational institutions around the country and air on selected PBS stations. To host a group or view the webcast from the Indianapolis Prize website, contact Heather Grisham of the Indianapolis Zoo at hgrisham@indyzoo.com or (317) 630-2069. This special program is presented by Endangered Species Chocolate.
Ball State University is proud to partner with the Indianapolis Zoo to help tell Iain Douglas-Hamilton’s inspiring story to the conservationists of tomorrow. As a leader in emerging media in Indiana and across the nation, Ball State is evolving the use of technology and digital content to enhance work and learning, to broaden access to information, and to enrich personal connection by eliminating the constraints of time and location. We are pleased to share our expertise in emerging technologies and our top-flight facilities to make possible the 2010 Indianapolis Prize telecast, which opens from the David Letterman Communication and Media Building.
The final stop on Douglas-Hamilton’s schedule includes a speaking engagement at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
WISH-TV Indianapolis Prize Special
Viewers will be able to see the finalists for the 2010 Indianapolis Prize at work in nature as WISH-TV’s Scott Sander presents this hour-long special all about the conservationists honored by the Prize. You will be moved, enlightened and inspired watching these conservation heroes as they work tirelessly to save endangered animals all over the world. The special premieres on Thursday, September 20, at 7pm on WISH-TV’s sister station, MyINDY-TV, channel 23, and will be rebroadcast on Saturday, October 2 at 8pm on MyINDY-TV.
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You can hear personal messages from the six finalists for the 2010 Indianapolis Prize!
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Information about the important conservation work of the six finalists for the 2008 Indianapolis Prize is available on this site, along with links to each of their non-profit organizations that are making significant contributions to the preservation of endangered species around the world. We urge you to learn about these heroes of conservation and their causes.
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Last summer, Indianapolis Zoo visitors were able to listen to the stories of conservation heroes by simply using their cell phones. These personal messages from the finalists for the 2008 Indianapolis Prize are available on this site - listen or download!
What the Indianapolis Zoo is doing to conserve endangered animal species.
What AZA-accredited zoos around the country are doing to conserve species.
Links to conservation organizations around the globe.
