Dr. Javier Gago’s Distinguished Faculty Award (DFA) Presentation on Thursday, Sept. 30, 12:20 – 1:30 p.m.
Dr. Javier Gago holding a squid in Mexico during the GCC Baja California Field Studies Program.
This year’s Leonard DeGrassi Distinguished Faculty Award (DFA) presentation is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 30, from 12:20 to 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.
The recipient is Dr. Javier Gago, and the title of his talk is “Biophilia and the Importance of Biodiversity.” Professor Gago will cover some of the fundamental ideas in the study of biodiversity and provide examples of their relevance and how our students explore these concepts in our research and field classes at GCC. He will also address some of the current threats to biodiversity.
Dr. Gago is a Professor of Biology and one of the Academic Co-Directors of the GCC Baja California Field Studies Program. He is also a Research Associate in Ichthyology at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. He earned his Ph.D. and an M.S. in Biology from the University of Southern California. Javier is a marine biologist with a research focus on ichthyology and the evolution of deep-sea fishes. As a Research Associate at the Natural History Museum, Javier enjoys mentoring many of his students as they participate in research internships in the different collections at the museum. His true passion is teaching science and, in particular, our understanding of the incredible diversity of life. For the past 24 years, he has taught classes at GCC’s field station in Baja, where our students can explore several ecosystems in the beautiful Gulf of California, Mexico.
Javier was born in Spain and spent many years as a young man in Venezuela. He explored some of the most beautiful natural places in the world, such as the Amazon rainforest, coral reefs in the Caribbean, the Andes, and more. With the freedom and support his parents gave him, he followed his passions and fostered a love for science and nature. He arrived in the United States as a 19-year-old F1 visa student and eventually worked his way to earn his Ph.D. in biology. Dr. Gago remembers, “the Ph.D. was a life-changing experience that truly challenged me and helped me to become a scientist.”
The DFA Committee invites all Faculty and Staff to attend Dr. Gago’s Zoom event. The link is below.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://glendale-edu.zoom.us/j/98646367724