Oct. 12, 2009

Norman –Norman – A special birthday celebration for the University of Oklahoma Biological Station will take place on the grounds of the station, located on the shores of Lake Texoma, on Saturday, Oct. 24. A highlight of the celebration will be the unveiling of a historical marker depicting the Biological Station’s founding in 1949, scheduled for 1 p.m.

The Friends of the University of Oklahoma Biological Station will host a biennial celebration beginning Friday, Oct. 23, and lasting until Sunday, Oct. 25.  The public is invited to attend the celebration.

Special guest speaker Kenneth L. Gage, chief of Flea-Borne Diseases, Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will deliver the keynote address, “Plague: The Natural History of an Ancient Disease in the 21st Century,” beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday.  Gage is an alumnus of the university and a mentee of now-deceased Biological Station and zoology faculty members Harley P. Brown and Cluff E. Hopla. 

Following the presentation, a social and dinner with a silent auction to support student scholarships will be held.  For more information or to register, contact Donna Cobb at (405) 325-7430 or dcobb@ou.edu or visit their Web site at www.ou.edu/uobs/celebration.htm.  There is a fee for attending the social and dinner.