Nat Geo Ecologist Nalini Nadkarni To Give Behind-the-Scenes Talk At The Ordway

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts will welcome tree canopy ecologist Nalini Nadkarni for Nat Geo Live: From Roots to Canopy on March 18. The show will feature behind-the-scenes stories from Nadkarni's four decades of experience exploring rainforest treetops and studying the ways forests inform our daily lives.

“We present a wide variety of storytelling experiences at the Ordway,” said Chris Harrington, president and CEO of the Ordway. “Welcoming the world-renowned Nalini Nadkarni for this special talk is our latest exciting offering for Minnesota audiences. She will take attendees on an engaging, enlightening journey through her explorations over the years.”

Nadkarni is a National Geographic Explorer At Large, the highest distinction within the organization. She has pioneered canopy access techniques to study the plants, animals and microbes that live in the treetops. A contributor to 150 scientific papers and books, she has cast new insights on the importance of canopy plants in ecosystem processes and the effects of human activities on forest diversity and function.

Nadkarni's work is featured in academic journals and in public media such as NPR; Science Friday; Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me; and RadioLab. Her awards include a Guggenheim Fellowship, the American Association for the Advancement of Science Award for Public Engagement, the National Science Foundation Award for Public Service, The Wilson Award for the Advancement of Social Justice and the Archie Carr Medal for Conservation. She is currently a professor at the University of Utah.

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