The 2025 UCLA La Kretz Center for CA Conservation Public Lecture

The UCLA La Kretz Center of California Conservation Science is excited to be hosting the 14th Annual La Kretz Center Public Lecture on Saturday October 11th, 2025 at Boyer Hall on the UCLA main campus. This year's topic is Biotechnology for Conservation. For our 14th Public Lecture, the Center is honored to have Ben Novak to speak about the work he does as a lead scientist at the revolutionary wildlife conservation organization: Revive and Restore

Conservation science and the biotech industry have had a sometimes-fraught, but ultimately powerful partnership for decades. Since 2012, the conservation non-profit Revive & Restore has been building the "Genetic Rescue Toolkit", a suite of biotechnologies from genomics to gene-editing that enable new opportunities to save species. Although many biotechnology tools and applications are in nascent phases of development, they are no longer science fiction. Work to clone the endangered black-footed ferret has achieved a feat never accomplished before - the restoration of lost genetic diversity in an endangered species. Research is now underway to ensure that such options are possible for some of the world's most endangered organisms, including amphibians and coral reefs. More ambitious yet, passenger pigeon de-extinction is on the horizon, bringing with it a revolution for avian conservation. Can biotechnologies save any species and ecosystem in the face of human-induced threats? Join us to hear from Ben Novak and participate in the conversation.

Following the lecture, attendees will have the chance to enjoy refreshments while meeting La Kretz-funded student researchers and learning about their research in California conservation science.

This free event is open to all ages and is sponsored by the UCLA Institute of the Environment & Sustainability. Metered parking can be found at numerous parking facilities around campus, with Parking Structure 2 being the closest to the venue.

DATE: Saturday, October 11th, 2025

LOCATION: UCLA Campus; Boyer Hall; Room 159 (611 Charles E Young Dr E, Los Angeles, CA)

TIME: 3 PM-5 PM

The La Kretz Center for California Conservation, managed by UCLA, connects a diverse network of UCLA faculty, postdoctoral scientists, and students with various conservation groups that work to protect and restore California’s biodiversity. Visit our website to learn more about our center and affiliated groups.

Please direct any questions related to the Public Lecture to bGFrcmV0eiB8IGlvZXMgISB1Y2xhICEgZWR1. We will respond to you as soon as possible.

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