Dr. M. Keen Compher, Jr., professor of biology at Westminster College, will discuss his recent research on fossils at Faculty Forum Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 11:45 a.m. in Patterson Hall room 311.

Compher spent his spring 2001 sabbatical at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History as a research associate in paleontology, and is producing "A Photographic Manual of Selected Interbrate Fossils of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History."

"This book will be made available to professors, teachers, and students who want to use the collection of over 500,000 specimens, but have a limited knowledge as to how to approach it," said Compher.  "The manual, which is in progress, contains significant information and photographs that I took of representative groups of fossils.

"While on sabbatical, I also visited and collected at many fossil sites in Western Pennsylvania, which I will also mention in my talk," continued Compher.  "Fossils provide some of the best evidence that we have for evolution, and I wanted to become more familiar with the Carnegie collection and fossil sites in Western Pennsylvania, so that I can apply the information to the evolution courses that I teach."

Compher, who has been with Westminster College since 1993, earned his undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

For more information, contact Compher at (724) 946-7210 or e-mail compherk@westminster.edu.