Bat Symposium to Draw Scientists Worldwide

Up to 400 scientists, legislators, and public health policy makers from approximately 30 countries are expected to attend the 38th Annual North American Symposium on Bat Research that will be held in Scranton, Oct. 22 – 25.

Gary Kwiecinski, Ph.D., professor of biology at The University of Scranton, who has been attending the symposium for 29 years, is one of the organizers of this year’s activities.

The symposium, being held at The University of Scranton, will address topics about science and public policy relative to bat conservation. These discussions are likely to include the effect of wind farms on rapidly-diminishing bat populations, and white nose syndrome, a recently developed condition that is causing hundreds of thousands of bats to die each year in the northeastern United States during hibernation.

According to Dr. Kwiecinski, bats play an important role play in the ecosystem. In the northeastern United States, all bats are insect-eating. It is estimated that a single bat eats up to 3,000 flying insects a night. Accordingly, bats play an important role in controlling the insect population, particularly mosquitoes and black flies.

The North American Symposium on Bat Research (NASBR) is a society dedicated to the promotion and development of the scientific study of bats including conservation and public education.

For additional information about the symposium, contact Dr. Kwiecinski at gkk301@scranton.edu, or visit the NASBR Web site at http://www.nasbr.org