Natural History Week on Star Island

Conference Speakers, Topics & Ministers from 1980 to Date

Year Speaker(s) Topic Minister
1980 Donald W. Stokes, Naturalist, Educator, Author Why is There So Much Variety in Nature? Rev. Dr. George Huntston Williams, Hollis Professor of Divinity, Harvard University
1981 Jorie Hunken, Naturalist, Educator (New England Wild Flower Society, Habitat Inc., Belmont, MA) and Author Turning Over a New Leaf — Finding Yourself in Nature Rev. George K. (Kim) Beach, Unitarian Church, Arlington VA & James Luther Adams, 1980 UUA GA Lecture
1982 Frederic (Ric) Martini, Marine Biologist, Educator and Author Star Island, The Shoals and the Sea
1983 Tom Arny, Ph.D., astronomy/meteorology, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Weather We Like It or Not Rev. Clifton Hoffman, Athens, GA
1984 Larry Kelts, Ph.D., Marine Ecologist, Teacher and Researcher, Shoals Marine Lab at Appledore Island and Merrimac College, North Andover, MA In the Air, On the Rocks, In the Pools: Adaptations of Marine Organisms Rev. Alice Blair Wesley, UU Church, Cherry Hill, NJ
1985 Vincent Hart, Professor of Physics, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI The Universe and Human Understanding Rev. Donald W. Rowley, UU Church, Nashua, NH
1986 Frederic (Ric) Martini, Marine Biologist, Educator and Author Ecology of the Gulf of Maine Dr. Yvonne Chappelle, Washington, DC
1987 Dykstra Eusden, Dartmouth College The Geology of the Isles of Shoals and Adjacent Parts of New England Rev. Neal Ferris, First Parish UU Church, Fitchburg, MA
1988 Tom Arter, Birder, photographer, President of Seacoast Chapter of Audubon Society of NH From the Mystery of Migration to the Spectacle of Flight Rev. Sydney Wilde-Nugent, Davies Memorial Unitarian Church, Camp Springs, MD
1989 Paul Martin Brown, Botanist, Naturalist, Horticulturalist Coastal Botany of New England Rev. Cheryl Klein, New England Rehabilitation Hospital, Portland, ME
1990 Talbot H. Waterman, emeritus professor of biology, Yale University Animal Navigation and Migration Rev. John A. Taylor, Ithaca, NY
1991 Richard Eakin, Professor of Biology at Westbrook College, Portland, ME Ecology Shuma Chakravarty, Dir. of RE, Theodore Parker UU, West Roxbury, MA
1992 Dr. William F. Gimpel, Jr., Chief of Plant Protection Section, Annapolis MD Dept of Agriculture and Dr. Douglass Miller, Research Leader of Systemic Entomology Lab, U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD Entomology Rev. Melody Foti, Concord, NH
1993 Dr. Edward M. Brooks, Prof. of Geology & Geophysics, Boston College Meteorology — Phenomena of Global Temperature Changes Rev. Paul Hull, Lower Bucks UU Fellowship, Fairless Hills, PA
1994 Frank D. Richardson, Ph.D., University of NH Coastal Ecology Ric Maston, Poet and humorist, UU troubadore minister
1995 Dr. Dale Bottrell, Entomology Dept., University of MD Sustainable Agriculture in the Third World Peter Tufts Richardson
1996 Dr. James Gould, Princeton University Animal Behavior Rev. John Kolbjornsen, Peterborough, NH
1997 Jay Pitocchelli Ornithology Rev. Charles Stevens, UU Church of Washington Crossing, NJ
1998 Dr. Judith Summer, Assumption College and Garden in the Woods Plants in the Natural World
1999 Dr. Dennis D. Wellnitz, Research Astronomer, University of MD The Universe – What is it and how do we know? Rev. Kathy Davis Thomas, Cedar Lane UU Church, Bethesda MD
2000 John Gerry, Ph.D., Lecturer on Anthropology and Archaeology at Harvard University Lessons from the Past – An Archaeological Perspective Rev. Lilli Nye, Main Line Unitarian Church, Devon, PA
2001 Dr. Albert (Sandy) Williams, Physical Oceanographer and senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Mixing and Movement of Ocean Water Rev. Don Stouder, Chaplin & Manager of Pastoral Care, Grossman Hospital, La Mesa, San Diego, CA
2002 Solange Brault, Marine Biologist, Researcher and Author Whales of the Gulf of Maine DiDiana Heath CA
2003 Bernd Heinrich Animal Foraging — From the Field to Follow-up Kathie Davis Thomas
2004 Bernd Heinrich and Rachael Smolker Animal Portraits — A Closer Look at Animal Behavior Mary Tiebout
2006 Shannon Crowley, Lynx Study Coordinator for the Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Tricia Tummino, UU Society of Middleboro, MA
2007 Conference Cancelled
2008 Dr. Chad Tolman, retired physical chemist at DuPont, the National Science Foundation and the National Research Council The Natural History of Earth, Human Impacts and Our Current Choice: Life or Death Rev. Lisa Ward, UU Fellowship of Harford County, Churchville, MD
2009 William Leavenworth, Ph.D., Primary Environmental Historian for the UNH Gulf of Maine Cod Project, and Karen Alexander, Project Coordinator for the UNH Gulf of Maine Cod Project Atlantic Cod Rev. Paul Hull, UU Church, Lancaster, MA
2010 Frederic (Ric) Martini, Marine Biologist, Educator and Author Deep Sea Pot-Pourri Rev. Dr. Charles Close
2011 Lora Roberts and Jim Verrill Farm to Fork — Sink Your Teeth into Finding Health, Community and Sustainability Through Food Leon Dunkley
2012 Christopher Swarth, Wetland Ecologist and Ornithologist; Director, Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, Lothian, MD The Secret Lives of Birds and Turtles Rev. Chris Holton Jablonski and Rev. Lauren Smith, South Church, Portsmouth, NH
2013 Dr. Rick Van de Poll, Principal, Ecosystem Management Consultants, Sandwich, NH The Mysterious & Misunderstood World of Mushrooms Rev. Dr. Elaine Beth Peresluha, First Parish, Concord, MA
2014 Eric Masterson, Author, Guide and Lecturer, Harris Center for Conservation Education Birding in the 21st Century Rev. Judith Davis, Christ Church Episcopal, Harwich Port, MA
2015 Peter Cowin, ‘The Bee Whisperer’ of Hampden, ME, President, Penobscot County Chapter of Maine State Beekeepers Association Bees and Pollinators Rev. Nancee Campbell, Augusta, ME
2016 Bernd Heinrich, professor emeritus in the biology department at University of VT, naturalist and author Life living in the woods of Maine and studying enigmas in the natural world Rev. Nancee Campbell, Augusta, ME
2017 Tim DeChristopher, climate activist and cofounder of Peaceful Uprising along with Bryan Cahall, singer/songwriter and music director of Peaceful Uprising Spiritual approach to the climate movement with words and music Rev. Joseph Britton, Rector of St. Michael and all Angels Episcopal Church, Albuquerque, NM
2018 Carl McDaniel, experimental scientist and environmental educator; Author of four books Building Durable Communities: Lessons For A Livable Planet Rev. Douglas Wilson, UU minister, writer, political activist, non-profit entrepreneur; Founder of Rowe Conference Center
2019 Dr. Judith Shapiro, faculty of Global Environmental Politics program, directs Dual Degree in Natural Resources and Sustainable Development with University for Peace in Costa Rica China’s Environmental Challenges; Global Impacts on a Shrinking Planet Rev. Douglas Wilson, UU minister, writer, political activist, non-profit entrepreneur; Founder of Rowe Conference Center
2020 Conference not held — Star Island closed due to COVID-19
2020* Colin Woodard, author of The Lobster Coast, Ocean’s End, Travels Through Endangered Seas and American Nations A Journalist’s Impressions of ‘Living in a Changing World’ Larry Greer
2021 No speaker Atlantic Puffins Larry Greer
2022 Elizabeth Murray, artist, author and workshop leader, Monterey, CA Living Life in Full Bloom – connecting to the natural world through art and spiritual well being Rev. Dr. Susan Suchocki Brown, UU South Church, Portsmouth, NH
2023 Dr. Jennifer Seavey, Kingsbury Executive Director, Shoals Marine Lab, Appledore Island, ME Unraveling the Shoals’ Science Secrets: Straight from the Scientists Rev. Julie-Ann Silverman-Bunn, hospice chaplain and pt minister, Springfield, MA
2024 Peter C. Alden: Author, Lecturer, Naturalist Research and exploration – personal reflections and observations Rev. Julie-Ann Silverman-Bunn, hospice chaplain and pt minister, Springfield, MA