Montana State University professors Scott Creel and Neil Cornish, who were recently awarded College of Letters and Science Distinguished Professorships, will give a joint talk at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 24, at the Ellen Theatre. This event is free and open to the public. 

Cornish is a Montana University System Regents Professor, a professor in the Department of Physics and director of the eXtreme Gravity Institute. He has contributed to some of the century’s most important astrophysical discoveries and his achievements have helped position MSU among the top institutions in astrophysics and gravitational wave science.  

Creel, a professor in the Department of Ecology, studies the behavior, ecology and conservation of large mammals. He works with many species in diverse landscapes but with particular emphasis on African carnivores — lions, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs and their prey — as well as large mammals in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, such as wolves, elk and moose. 

Each scientist will present a brief overview of their work and then engage in a discussion with Yves Idzerda, dean of the College of Letters and Science, about the way they approach science and what their approaches have in common. There will also be Q&A. 

The Ellen Theatre is located at 17 W. Main St. In downtown Bozeman. Doors open at 5 p.m. and refreshments will be available for purchase.     

Parking is available on the street, in public lots near the Ellen Theatre or in the parking garage located between Tracy and Black avenues along Mendenhall Street. The first two hours in the garage are free and parking is $1 per hour after that. 

The College of Letters and Science Distinguished Professorship is the highest honor the college bestows upon a faculty member in the college. The three-year appointment is made in recognition of a faculty member's contributions to the college, to MSU and to the scholarly community. For a list of faculty members who have previously been honored as College of Letters and Science Distinguished Professors, visit montana.edu/lettersandscience/endowed_professorships.html.  

For more information, contact Amanda Smith at amanda.smith39@montana.edu or 406-994-4288.