On Thursday Feb. 9, Dr. Patricia Morse of the University of Washington Friday Harbor Labs, will present the next Arthur Whiteley Lecture, 7 p.m. in The Commons at the Labs.

Morse will chronicle her recent visit to Japan where she followed in the footsteps of a distant relative, Edward Sylvester Morse, and discovered his importance in the development of natural history studies in Japan.

Edward Sylvester Morse’s career in zoology began with Agassiz at Harvard where he helped develop the Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Morse specialized in the study of Brachiopods, which are bottom dwelling marine animals that have two shells and are considered living fossils.

This study led him to Japan where he became the first Professor of Zoology and introduced the then new ideas of Charles Darwin.  He also became an expert in ancient Japanese pottery.

Patricia Morse has a long career as marine biologist and science educator with more than thirty years as Professor of Biology Northeastern University. She is now a visiting scholar  at Friday Harbor Labs and serves on the Advancement Committee for UW Friday Harbor Labs.

The lecture is open to the public and free, though donations are accepted.