AN evolutionary biologist who was curator of Down House, will be taking her Pembrokeshire audience on a travelogue about Darwin, the Beagle and South America discussing his early ideas on evolution in a lecture at Pembrokeshire College on Sunday, July 8.
Solene Morris was curator at Charles Darwin's former Kent home for eight years. In her early career she worked at Yale University in their Natural History Museum. when she came to the UK her work moved from Palaeontology to working in the zoology department at the British Natural History Museum. She has been interested in evolution and natural history since she was a child. Her main areas of work have centred on the study of bivalve molluscs.
Darwin's work has provided continuous and relevant input to her work. The fundamental questions he asked are still the questions being asked by evolutionists today.
Prior to working at Down House Solene developed the 'Origin of Species' exhibition at the British Natural History Museum which has been on show for over 20 years.
Her links with Darwin continue. Although retired from her position as curator, Solene and her family live near Down House. Her husband Noel was a paleontologist at the Natural History Museum for 35 years where his area of expertise was the study of fossil molluscs. He will give a short talk on 'The Influence of Geology and Palaeontology on Evolutionary Thought'.
For further information and to book tickets contact the Festival Office on (01646) 699220.