FAU Presents ‘Path of the Panther: A Visual Journey to Preserve Wild Florida’ with Carlton Ward, Jr.

Florida Atlantic University presents “Path of the Panther: A Visual Journey to Preserve Wild Florida,” with National Geographic photographer Carlton Ward, Jr. The lecture, which is part of the WLW Visiting Fellows Lecture Program, will take place on Monday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. in the Carole and Barry Kaye Auditorium, FAU Student Union, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton campus. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at www.fau.edu/wildflorida.

Ward is a conservation photographer and National Geographic Explorer whose passion for nature was born from the Florida landscape. His mission is to inspire appreciation and protection of Florida’s original nature and culture – the endangered wildness that is often hidden in plain sight.

“We are thrilled to welcome renowned conservationist Carlton Ward, Jr. to Florida Atlantic to kickoff this impactful new lecture series,” said Valery E. Forbes, Ph.D., dean of the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “His work beautifully embodies the powerful intersection of art and science. While rigorous scientific publications provide the foundation for conservation, Carlton’s stunning imagery and visual storytelling translate the data into a shared human experience – inspiring the public, driving land protection, and securing critical habitats for endangered species in a way that is essential for our students and community to experience."

In 2013, Carlton founded Florida Wild, a media and production company working to elevate and protect wild Florida through strategic communications. “The Path of the Panther” project has been Carlton’s full-time focus since 2016, supported by grants from the National Geographic Society and numerous partners. Carlton and his team are managing a network of professional photography and video camera traps throughout critical habitat of the Florida Wildlife Corridor. Their purpose is to inspire a public and political movement to save the Florida Wildlife Corridor through the story of the endangered Florida panther.

“In addition to the important message about conservation that Carlton Ward will bring to our community, his storytelling and brilliant use of photography will provide impactful examples and models for our students who wish to follow his path into the myriad fields that intersect with environmental studies, such as journalism, photography and creative writing,” said Michael Horswell, Ph.D., dean of the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters. 

For more information, call 561-297-6124.