James D. Watson and Edward O. Wilson in conversation

Harvard Museum of Natural History (HMNH) will present “Looking Back, Looking Forward: A Conversation with James D. Watson and Edward O. Wilson” on Sept. 9. The event will be held at 5:30 p.m. in Sanders Theatre.

James D. Watson, a Nobel Prize winner for his role in the discovery of the structure of DNA, and Edward O. Wilson, a pioneer in the study of biodiversity and twice a Pulitzer Prize winner, will reflect on their storied careers, including their time together at Harvard, and look ahead to the key challenges for biological sciences in the 21st century. Award-winning journalist and correspondent for National Public Radio Robert Krulwich will moderate.

Advance tickets are required. Admission is $10 for the public; $8 for HMNH members and current Harvard ID holders; and $2 for Harvard students. Tickets will be available beginning July 28 through the Harvard Box Office in the Holyoke Center, 1350 Massachusetts Ave., or by calling (617) 496-2222. The box office’s summer hours are noon-6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Visit http://www.boxoffice.harvard.edu for more information. Sanders Theatre is wheelchair accessible. For more information, see the museum’s Web site at http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu.

The Watson-Wilson conversation is included as part of HMNH’s longstanding and successful public lecture series. These lectures, on a range of topics, including climate change, conservation, evolution, and the origin of life on Earth, are attended by more than 3,000 people annually. The museum’s fall 2009 lecture series will commemorate the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard. A later series will explore the natural history of food. Upcoming speakers include primatologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, paleontologist Michael Novacek, and Cristián Samper, director of the National Museum of Natural History, as well as numerous Harvard faculty members.