NightSchool: Galápagos Islands

Old specimens, new research—join Academy researchers and collaborators for a night covering a century of stories from our Galápagos collections.

Learn about our Islands 2030 initiative with Drs. Rayna Bell and Lauren Esposito as they introduce the Academy’s ongoing exciting work in archipelagos across the world, including the Galápagos.

Get a history lesson from Moe Flannery, Ornithology and Mammalogy Collections Manager, on a virtual tour of the Academy’s collection of scientific specimens from the Galápagos—the largest of its kind in the world. Learn about the Academy’s storied history in the islands and see specimens collected in the same year as the 1906 earthquake and fire.

The Galápagos Islands brim with biodiversity, from giant tortoises to uniquely beaked finches. Dr. Jaime Chaves, evolutionary biology professor at SFSU, will share his work to understand the vast range of Galápagos birds, and how collections play a key role in untangling threads of evolution.

Dr. Matt James, author of the book “Collecting Evolution,” will discuss the Galápagos Islands’ iconic giant tortoises, the main research emphasis of the Academy's 1905-1906 expedition to the archipelago—and the radiating impacts of this particular collecting trip.

NightSchool is in session on the first & third Thursdays of every month.

All NightSchool virtual programming is intended for audiences 21+.

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PAST VIRTUAL NIGHTLIFE EVENTS

Missed the party? Just want to relive the magic? Watch the recorded livestreams on YouTube!