The public is welcome to come to Prescott Collee to hear internationally recognized author and researcher Stephen Kellert present a keynote address, "Understanding and Designing Connections to Nature in Human Health and Wellbeing". The keynote address happens on Saturday, November 10, 2007 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for Prescott Colleges' Fall Masters Colloquium. Dr. Kellert will also present a Keynote Workshop on the same subject the following morning (Sunday) from 9 a.m. to 10:50. Both events are free of charge and open to all. More information and a complete colloquium schedule is available here. For more information please contact Frank Cardamone at (928)-350-3218.

In his talk Dr. Kellert will assert an inherent human need to affiliate with nature as an essential component of health, productivity, maturation, and wellbeing. This biologically-based need is referred to as, 'biophila', a 'weak' genetic tendency to attach value to the natural world that continues to be critical in human physical, mental, and moral development. Despite the capacity for lifelong learning, the most important period for the maturation of any inherent tendency is childhood and, thus, contact with nature during this period is especially critical.

Unfortunately, a common characteristic of contemporary especially urban society has been a significant decline in the quality and quantity of direct contact with natural process and diversity. Among youth, this decline has been called 'nature-deficit disorder'. The modern decline in contact between people, especially children, and natural systems is viewed as a design flaw not an intrinsic failure of contemporary life. This design deficiency can be remedied through an approach called 'restorative environmental design', combining both low environmental impact and biophilic design strategies.

During the Sunday workshop, Dr.. Kellert will elaborate on the issues raised during the Saturday keynote presentation and perhaps emphasize more the issues of restorative environmental design and how it might impact the design of children's residential, educational, and recreational environments.

Stephen R. Kellert is the Tweedy Ordway Professor of Social Ecology at the Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. His work focuses on understanding the connection between human and natural systems with a particular interest in the value and conservation of nature and designing ways to harmonize the natural and human built environments. He has authored more than 150 publications, including Building for Life: Designing and Understanding the Human-Nature Connection.

The Prescott College Master of Arts Program (MAP) Colloquia are offered four times a year. This colloquium features presentations by dozens of currently enrolled graduate students, advisors, and faculty across the MAP's five Program Areas: Education, Counseling & Psychology, Adventure Education, Humanities, and Environmental Studies. The schedule is at www.prescott.edu/students/map. For contact info and questions please contact Frank Cardamone at (928)-350-3218.