Member News & Events
196th Annual Member's Meeting
Friday, May 30, 5:30 - 8:30 pm
RSVP online
Join us for the 196th Annual Meeting of members of The Academy of Natural Sciences.
- Members' Night at our changing exhibit "Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics"
- Keynote Address at 6:15 by Dr. Baldomero M. Olivera on the value of biodiversity and genomics for human medicine
- Special Honoree, Minturn T. Wright III will receive the William Maclure Award
- Light refreshments will be provided
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Baldomero M. Olivera
Studying the biology of venomous marine cone snails for more than 20 years, Olivera and his co-workers have isolated, identified and described several dozen neurotoxins that are secreted by this family of medicinal animals. The work of this Fulbright Scholar has lead to the development of a drug, recently approved by the FDA, that appears to be more effective against chronic pain than morphine. Olivera was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 2007 and is the Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of Utah. He earned his his Ph.D. in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology.
Maclure Award Winner: Minturn T. Wright III
The William Maclure Award, named for the Academy first benefactor, was established to recognize vision, leadership and philanthropy in outstanding individuals like Minturn T. Wright III, who serve good causes with extraordinary dedication. A past chair of Dechert LLP, Minturn has been an Academy trustee for 50 years and also served on the boards of many other Pennsylvania conservation and charitable organizations. His dedication, acumen, collegiality and generosity has not diminished with time.
Member Benefit: Natural History magazine
As a new benefit of Membership, you will now receive a complimentary subscription to the award-winning magazine Natural History!
Ten times a year, Natural History brings you the wonders of nature, with breathtaking photographs and accounts by leading scientists. Each issue will include four pages on our exhibits, events, collections and Academy science.
Check your mailbox each month!
Give the Gift of the Academy
Membership makes the perfect gift any time of the year. The Academy offers a full year of discovery for the inquisitive young minds in your family.
It’s easy to give a gift membership! Simply click on the Become A Member! link, and choose which method is most convenient for you.
A New Member Packet can be mailed to you for your personal presentation, or directly to the recipient.