Lakehead University’s next SOS public lecture presents People of a Feather, a film about survival

(July 15, 2013 – Orillia, ON)

Lakehead University’s “Summer of Sustainability” (SOS) series continues this month with a special screening of People of a Feather, a film about survival in a changing Canadian Arctic. The event takes place on Tuesday, July 23 at 7 pm at Lakehead Orillia’s University Avenue campus.

The People of a Feather documentary shows, through groundbreaking footage, how the Inuit survive harsh Arctic winters. The award-winning film takes the viewer through time into the world of Inuit and their unique cultural relationship with the eider duck. Eider down, the warmest feather in the world, allows both Inuit and bird to survive harsh Arctic winters. The film demonstrates how traditional life is juxtaposed with modern life as both people and eiders face the challenges posed by changing sea ice and ocean currents.

Lakehead faculty member Jack Seigel, who teaches biology with the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, and has made numerous visits to the Arctic, will lead a discussion following the film.

Jack Seigel, who teaches biology at Lakehead University, will lead a discussion following the SOS series presentation of the award-winning documentary, People of a Feather. The event takes place on Tuesday, July 23 at 7 pm (University Avenue campus).

The final SOS series event takes place on August 20 and will also focus on the topic of survival. Guest speaker Dr. Andrea Kirkwood from the department of biology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, will discuss the topic of aquatic ecosystems. She will share her research, which examines the ecological function of urban ponds and wetlands.

The SOS public lecture series is free and open to the public. For further information, visit www.lakeheadu.ca or contact series organizer, Dr. Thamara Laredo at 705-330-4008, ext. 2645 or tlaredo1@lakeheadu.ca.

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Media:  For more information, please contact Lakehead University’s Communications Officer, Kathy Hunt, at 705-330-4008 ext. 2014 or kjhunt3@lakeheadu.ca.

Lakehead University is a comprehensive university with a reputation for a multidisciplinary teaching approach that emphasizes collaborative learning and independent critical thinking. Over 8,700 students and 1,850 faculty and staff learn and work at campuses located in Orillia, and Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is home to the west campus of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Lakehead University promotes innovative research that supports local and regional socio-economic needs. In Orillia, development continues on building a campus that meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) standards. For more information about Lakehead University, visit www.lakeheadu.ca.