George L. Harp Environmental Field Station to be dedicated Nov. 6

November 3, 2009 -- Field Biology and Environmental Science studies at Arkansas State University will enter a new era when the George L. Harp Environmental Field Station will be dedicated, Friday, Nov. 6, on the Buffalo National River. The dedication ceremony will begin at 12:45 p.m. and lunch will follow at the field station.



Dr. George L. and Phoebe Harp

Those who plan to attend the lunch should contact Dr. Tom Risch, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, at (870) 972-3333 or (870) 926-1917. Those needing transportation should be at the Biological Sciences parking lot (S-16, next to the Lab Sciences Building) at 9 a.m. (RSVP to ensure a spot) or e-mail Dr. Risch at trisch@astate.edu for driving instructions.

The station is named in honor of Dr. George L. Harp, professor emeritus of Biological Sciences, who taught at ASU for 32 years and is recognized as a renowned aquatic biologist. The field station was initiated by a donation from Harp’s wife, Phoebe, a former instructor in biology at ASU, and the pair’s two children, Geoff Harp and Heather Harp Carter. This field station is the first facility of its kind for Arkansas State University.

“We are thrilled about this,” said Dr. Risch, who also serves as interim director of the graduate program in Environmental Sciences. “Dr. Harp greatly fostered the research mission at Arkansas State University with his decades-long research and is recognized as a worldwide authority on dragonflies. His contributions continue to be unparalleled and the university proudly dedicates this facility in honor of his efforts. This is just the beginning for this facility that will foster education, research and outreach programs.”

Biological field stations are primarily living libraries and outdoor laboratories utilized by students, researchers and those interested in the environment to support research and education. They are designed to provide scientific information crucial to understanding environmental issues with field stations located all over the world.

The stations provide educational experiences for elementary students through the doctoral candidate by learning how environmental systems function. Research involving protected environments can also be conducted from the field stations and provide scientific data necessary to address environmental issues.

“The George Harp station is a building on the bluffs above the Buffalo River and located in a clearing,” said Risch. “It is a beautiful area. The station will support research, education, and outreach. We will take biology and environmental science classes there for field trips, and graduate students will use the station as a base for their research. Our hope is to teach classes that can be offered  through all the ASU campus and thus be a system-wide facility as well as host researchers from other institutions.”

George Harp Field Station Map.ppt

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