The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology hosted a visit by Dr. Nancy Knowlton from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History this past week. Nancy met with undergraduates, graduate students, post docs and faculty during her visit. She presented the Marcia Monroe Conery Lecture on Saturday in Freeman Auditorium, entitled, “#OceanOptimism: Success stories in Ocean Conservation.” Her enthusiasm about a global EarthOptimism symposium at the Smithsonian in 2017 was infectious and several members of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology are planning to organize a corresponding Tulane event.