Boston Flora

Tag: Radcliffe Institute

  • Tuesday, March 27, 6:00 pm – How Mushrooms Changed the World

    David Hibbett, Professor of Biology, Clark University 2017–2018 Fellow, Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, will speak on How Mushrooms Changed the World on Tuesday, March 27 in the Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge, as part of the Harvard Museum of Natural History’s Evolution Matters Lecture Series. Free and open to the public. Free event parking at 52 Oxford Street Garage. Series supported by a generous gift from Drs. Herman and Joan Suit.

    Fungi receive little attention in mainstream media, but these organisms have an enormous impact on ecosystems and on the production of food and pharmaceuticals. As decomposers, fungi recycle nutrients and are key contributors to the global carbon cycle. David Hibbett will examine the diversity of fungal decay mechanisms and how they have evolved across geologic time. He will also address the controversial hypothesis that fungal evolution contributed to the decline in coal formation at the end of the Carboniferous Period.

    This event will be livestreamed on the Harvard Museums of Science & Culture Facebook page. Check https://hmnh.harvard.edu/event/how-mushrooms-changed-world the day of the program for a direct video link. A recording of this program will be available on our YouTube channel approximately three weeks after the lecture.

    https://static.hwpi.harvard.edu/files/styles/os_files_large/public/hmnh/files/how_mushrooms_changed_the_world_david_hibbett.jpg?m=1516308151&itok=TeYvC6RU

  • Monday, March 27, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Woodwork and the Arts of Japan

    Material culture in Japan is distinguished by its heavy reliance on wood in art-making. For over a millennium, the rich biomass heritage of the country has provided a foundation for the work of master carpenters and the emergence of a wide array of remarkable techniques for the wood-related arts. Yukio Lippit, PhD, History of Art and Architecture, Harvard University and Johnson-Kulukundis Family Director of the Arts, Radcliffe Institute will examine how wood selection and the materiality of wood conditioned the development of these arts in a Japanese context. His Monday, March 27 lecture, beginning at 7 pm in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum, focuses on timber-frame architecture and how Japan’s culture of building provides a lens into the man-nature relationship; Japanese sculpture and the meanings inherent in the different types of woods employed for the creation of religious statues; and Japanese woodblock printing and the relationship of wood carving to the artistry of Japanese prints. Fee Free for Arboretum members and students, $5 nonmember. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

  • Tuesday, March 6, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – A Visit with Isabella Stewart Gardner

    A few years ago, The Garden Club of the Back Bay welcomed acclaimed performer Jessa Piaia, who took attendees back to 1910 with her dramatic portrayal of Isabella Stewart Gardner, America’s first patroness of the arts, and lover of plant material.  For those who missed the meeting, you’ll have another chance on Tuesday, March 6, from 10 – noon at South Church, 41 Central Street in Andover.  The Andover Garden Club is sponsoring the program, and a $5 guest charge includes refreshments. Piaia studied performance at London’s Oval House Theatre and graduated from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. An employee of Harvard University, she conducts most of her historical research at the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe Institute, which specializes in the history of women in America.

    Founded in 1927, the Andover Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that encourages the study and practice of horticulture, landscape design, and floral design; aids in the beautification of the town of Andover; and helps protect and conserve natural resources. A member of the Garden Club Federation of Massachusetts, Inc., and National Garden Clubs, Inc., the club provides both financial and hands-on support to a variety of municipal, educational, and environmental organizations throughout the region.  To reserve, please call 978-475-7119.