In his 1845 treatise, Kosmo, Prussian naturalist and explorer Alexander Von Humboldt wrote: “Those who observe from a reflective perspective recognize nature as a unity in diversity, as a connection of the manifold in form and mixture. The embodiment of natural forces and phenomena as a living whole.”

The noted scholar, who explored places like Mexico and South America, will be the focus of the last Science Café of the spring semester series at Stetson’s Gillespie Museum on Thursday, April 26, at 7 p.m. Visiting Professor Gregor C. Falk will give a presentation entitled “Alexander Von Humboldt: A Liberal Ecologist.”

Falk’s presentation will focus on the economic, social and political approaches in Humboldt’s writing about the natural world. The conversation will trace Humboldt’s reflections on human and environmental interactions as a liberal approach to ecology.

“Even today,” Falk explains, “Humboldt’s understanding of human rights and equality are common ground.”

This semester, Falk serves as a visiting professor in Stetson University’s Department of Environmental Science and Studies. At his home university, the Institute of Geography, Freiburg Germany, he is a professor of physical geography. His research interests focus on the intermingled social, political and ecological dimensions of land use, climate and landcover change. As a specialist in education and as a professional geographer, he is also involved in pedagogical research and secondary teacher training.

The Gillespie Museum’s Science Café promotes scientific literacy by encouraging relaxed, open conversations among scientists and nonscientists. The event is free and open to the public. The Gillespie Museum is located at 234 E. Michigan Ave. DeLand. For more information, call 386.822.7330 or visit www2.stetson.edu/gillespie.