A report on a scientific expedition to Papua New Guinea and premiere of an award-winning kayaking documentary filmed during the trip will be held in the United States on Jan 18.
Local explorer John Lane, adjunct Professor at Chico State University and principal scientist at Chico Environmental Science and Planning, LLC, ventured to the Lake Hargy area of West New Britain province last August.
Don Miller, an entomologist from the department of biological sciences at Chico State University, who accompanied Mr Lane on the trip will talk about research outcomes.
He and others discovered several new species, including a prawn, two frogs, a snake and possibly some butterflies.
Other research projects on the trip included creating a bathymetry (underwater topography) map of Lake Hargy; looking for a fungus on frogs as part of a global-warming study; creating a geologic map of rock types found in the Lake Hargy Caldera; measuring precipitation; and measuring fluctuation in the lake level.
Mr Lane plans another expedition this year, and will be accompanied by several faculty members of the College of Natural Sciences. The trip is also open to community members, who may wish to accompany the scientists on the trip.
Mr Lane will also welcome Major Fred Hargesheimer, a World War II pilot downed over the Lake Hargy area.
Lake Hargy was named after Hargesheimer, who was shot down in 1943 and survived for 31 days alone in the jungle. He was rescued and cared for by people from Nantabu village.
He was hidden from the Japanese at great risk to themselves. He returned to the village in 1964 and established two schools.
The kayaking video was sponsored by the National Geographic Society.