Join the UT Arboretum Society and co-sponsors on Friday, June 5, 7 p.m., for a globe-trotting evening with Dr. Matt Allender, a wildlife veterinarian whose work has taken him from the forests of Oak Ridge to the coast of Peru. In “Stories from a Wildlife Veterinarian: From Oak Ridge to Peru and from Box Turtles to Penguins,” Allender will share behind-the-scenes stories from a career spent studying and protecting wildlife, from long-running research on Eastern box turtles in Tennessee to conservation work with Humboldt penguins in South America.

This is a FREE educational in-person program at Roane State Oak Ridge in the City Room, 701 Briarcliff Ave, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830. Please register to reserve a seat. To register, go to https://utarboretumsociety.org/programs/

Dr. Allender is a board-certified zoo and wildlife veterinarian whose career bridges field research, disease investigation and wildlife conservation. He is the founder and director of the Wildlife Epidemiology Lab at the University of Illinois and Director of Conservation Medicine and Science at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. His 18-year study of Eastern box turtles in Oak Ridge and Illinois has helped identify new viruses, bacteria and other health threats, while his ongoing Humboldt penguin work—begun in 2010—now brings together a multidisciplinary team studying pathogens, toxins and other causes of decline, including increasing El Niño events and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

This in-person presentation is co-sponsored by the UT Arboretum Society (UTAS), the Clinch River Environmental Studies Organization (CRESO),) and Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning (TCWP) and the American Museum of Science and Energy (AMSE).

The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society (UTAS) is the arboretum’s volunteer organization and is celebrating its 61st year in 2026. UTAS was formed in 1965 to support and enhance the University of Tennessee Arboretum. UTAS is the longest-standing volunteer organization in the University of Tennessee system statewide.

The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center celebrates its 62nd anniversary in 2026. It is one of the ten University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture AgResearch and Education Centers located throughout Tennessee. The Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research, and public service through the UT Herbert College of Agriculture, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension offices, with locations in every county in the state.

For questions or registration issues, contact Michelle at mcampani@utk.edu.

Melanie Staten is a public relations consultant with her husband, Vince.