The species of the Galápagos Islands—Blue-footed Boobies and Giant Tortoises, Lava Lizards and Land Iguanas—are iconic. Some are found nowhere outside the boundaries of the archipelago. Walter Perez, an Ecuadorian and naturalist guide, has been photographing the fauna there for more than a decade, and about four years ago, he met Michael Weisberg, professor and chair of the Philosophy Department at the University of Pennsylvania.
“You can’t enter the park without a naturalist guide,” explains Weisberg, who has been conducting research on the Galápagos for the past four years. “They are extremely well-trained guides who handle the people but are also experts in the natural history.” Perez took Weisberg around and the two became friends.
Weisberg quickly began to understand that through his camera’s lens, Perez had been creating a remarkable documentary of the islands’ animals. “Walter is really interested in animal behavior, the action shots, as opposed to taking the ‘glamour’ closeups,” Weisberg says.
Eventually the two collaborated on a project called Galápagos: Life in Motion, which was published by Princeton University Press in August. The book features 200 photos of dozens of species mating, fighting, feeding, and interacting with humans. Fifteen of the photos are featured below.
In Senegal, the ambitious Dakar Greenbelt project seeks to create an extensive network of ecological infrastructure in and around the city to sustainably address environmental concerns and enhance urban life. With support from David Gouverneur and Ellen Neises, Ph.D. candidate Rob Levinthal in the Weitzman School of Design led two courses that included a field trip to Dakar, that culminated in students presenting their visions for parts of the Greenbelt.
From a desert to an oasis: Penn engages in ambitious greening effort in the Sahel
Students from the Weitzman School of Design journeyed to Senegal to help with a massive ecological and infrastructural greening effort as part of their coursework. The Dakar Greenbelt aims to combat desertification and promote sustainable urban growth.
As part of an undergraduate course, Penn faculty and students curated an Arthur Ross Gallery exhibition of works from the Neumann family’s extensive collection of modern and contemporary art.
The University’s nexus for technology transfer supports researchers in their innovative efforts, from CAR T to mRNA advancements that have dramatically reshaped the world.
