Meetings of the Biodiversity & Ecology Journal Club Department of Biological Sciences, The National University of Singapore

"Silent Symphony Under the Waves"

Tony Wu
Author

Thursday, 17th July 2003: 3.00pm - 5.00pm

DBS Conference Room Blk S3, Level 5, Dept of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The National University of Singapore Science Drive 4 Visitors may park at Carpark 10 See map Host: Sasi Nayar

Abstract
The oceans around us are filled with beautiful organisms and intricate relationships.  Much as the individual instruments and musicians of an orchestra come together to produce a musical symphony, so too the creatures and environments of the ocean weave together into a living work of art.  With the help of selected images from the award winning book Silent Symphony, Tony Wu will relate many of the stories and experiences behind the pictures - encounters with swarms of large sharks, a brush with the beautiful but deadly blue-ring octopus, discovering the world's smallest seahorses, crawling in mud to photograph fish that live on land, and many other unique tales.  

Signed copies of Silent Symphony will also be available for a special price of S$70 (retail S$85).

About the Author
Tony Wu's life-long love for the sea developed from many hours spent in and around the ocean while growing up. His first childhood memory of the ocean is having a pugnacious crab pinch his little toe when it mistook his foot for dinner. Despite this minor mishap, Tony learned to swim at a young age, studied marine biology and related subjects passionately, and took up diving as soon as he could.

Since 1995, Tony has combined his love of visual art with his interest in the marine world through underwater photography, and he has concentrated on using his photographs and writing to encourage others to appreciate and protect the beauty of the oceans.

Tony actively promotes marine conservation issues, and among other achievements, organised efforts that led to the removal of sharkfin soup from the in-flight menus of two national airlines in southeast Asia. He believes that education is the key to change, and adopts a cooperative, non-confrontational approach. Tony resides in Singapore, and is currently starting up a hi-tech business.

Tony's images have received international awards in Japan, Europe and the US, and his writing appears regularly in publications worldwide. His first book, Silent Symphony, received the award for "Best Book of the Year" at the 28th annual Antibes Festival of Marine Images in France.

Tony is a columnist and Asia Editor for Sportdiving magazine, and his work has appeared in a number of publications, including Asia Pacific Reef Guide, Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia, Action Asia, FiNS, Marine Photo, Diving Photography, Diver (Japan), Diving World, Unterwasser, DiveLog, Dive New Zealand, Dive (U.K.), Sportdiver, Thai Diver, Asian Diver, NatureWatch, DecomStop, Talking Science, Asahi Shimbun, Tourism Asia, Solitaire, Asian Geographic, Asiaweek, Time, Harper's Bazaar, The Arts Magazine, The Peak, Prestige, Today, Streats, The New Paper and the Straits Times.

ALL ARE WELCOME!

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NUS Department of Biological Sciences - Department Seminars

NTU Natural Sciences Academic Group (NSAG) - Dept Seminars - Graduate Seminars

Public Lecture
Prof. David M. Johnson - "Biology and biodiversity of Malesian Annonaceae". 5th June 2003

Navjot Sodhi - "Harvard and Beyond". 24th April 2003

Seminars at the Botanic Gardens
Anthony Lamb - "The Lipstick Flowers of Sabah, Borneo". 4th April 2003