Additional information
by John Janovy Jr (Author)
The Ginkgo is a story about a girl from a western ranch who comes to a large university and writes four papers about a single tree. In the process, she discovers and explores the clash between tradition and creativity, eventually producing a sobering vision of American a thousand years into the future.
Author Biography
John Janovy, Jr. (PhD, University of Oklahoma, 1965) is the author of 23 books, ranging from natural history essays to ghost stories to the Gideon Marshall Mystery Series, and over 100 scientific papers and book chapters. He is now retired, but when active held the Paula and D. B. Varner Distinguished Professorship in Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. His research interest is parasitology, with particular focus on parasite ecology and life cycles. He has been Director of the Cedar Point Biological Station for 13 years total (two terms), Interim Director of the University of Nebraska State Museum twice, an Assistant Dean of Arts and Sciences, and secretary-treasurer of the American Society of Parasitologists. His teaching experiences include almost continuous service in large-enrollment freshman biology courses, Field Parasitology at the Cedar Point Biological Station, Invertebrate Zoology, Parasitology, Organismic Biology, and numerous honors seminars. He has supervised many graduate students, and approximately 50 undergraduate researchers, including ten Howard Hughes scholars. His honors include the University of Nebraska Distinguished Teaching Award, State of Nebraska Pioneer Award, University Honors Program Master Lecturer, American Health Magazine book award (for Fields of Friendly Strife), University of Nebraska Outstanding Research and Creativity Award, The Nature Conservancy Hero recognition, Nebraska Library Association Mari Sandoz Award, and the American Society of Parasitologists Clark P. Read Mentorship Award. The Ginkgo is based on his experience, over a 46-year period, of asking students to write papers about campus plants. His web site and blog are: http: //www.johnjanovy.com http: //fridaycoffee.blogspot.com
