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Dr. Thaddeus McRae during a fall session of the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library’s Sassy Science Series. He is the opening speaker for the spring series taking place Tuesday.
Lee University’s Dr. Thaddeus McRae will kick off the spring session of the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library’s “Sassy Science Series” with a talk titled “Tennessee Orchids, Lichens, Fungi and Trees: The Ecology of Mutualisms.” The program will take place on Tuesday at noon.
The event is the first of five science sessions scheduled for spring. Programs will be held on the second Tuesday of each month and will feature a different Lee University professor presenting on a scientific topic.
Dr. McRae’s presentation will include a 40-minute talk followed by a 20-minute question-and-answer session. He will explore surprising examples of cooperation in nature, from orchids and fungi to the microbes in the human body. Drawing on examples from East Tennessee and beyond, McRae will examine mutualisms – relationships in which all participants benefit – and how these partnerships reveal lessons about interdependence, resilience, and what it means to be human.
Dr. McRae is a professor of biology at Lee and joined the university’s Department of Natural Sciences in 2017. A broadly trained biologist with expertise in ecology, he has authored multiple publications, received media coverage for his research, and mentored undergraduate researchers on projects ranging from community ecology to animal behavior. He earned his doctorate from the University of Miami and his bachelor’s degree from Cornerstone University.
“We’re excited to welcome Dr. McRae back to launch the spring Sassy Science Series,” said Kathy Davini, adult programming coordinator at the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library. “This series is designed to make science engaging and accessible, and our partnership with Lee University allows us to offer high-quality programs to the community.”
All sessions are free and open to the public and will be held in the Flex Room of the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library, located at the corner of Church Street and 8th Street.
For more information, visit clevelandlibrary.org.
PHOTO: Dr. Thaddeus McRae is pictured during a fall session of the Cleveland Bradley County Public Library’s Sassy Science Series. He is the opening speaker for the spring series taking place January 13.
Dr. Thaddeus McRae
