The Boise State University Arts and Humanities Institute will present its second annual public lecture series titled “Interdisciplinary Explorations - The Idea of Nature,” with distinguished speakers on Feb. 14 and March 12.

The goal of the series is to promote interdisciplinary inquiry and to foster dialogue across the campus and community, based on the premise that big questions need interdisciplinary answers. It examines how ideas of nature are expressed in literature, art, philosophy, music and other humanities disciplines.

The lectures are free and open to the public and will be followed by a reception with a cash bar and appetizers. The lectures will be held from 6-7 p.m. in the Boise State Student Union Building, Simplot A/B Ballroom. To reserve a place for a free reception that follows the lecture, or for more information about free parking and the series, send an e-mail to samanthaharvey@boisestate.edu or visit http://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/ideaofnature/.

On Feb. 14, John Elder, professor emeritus of Middlebury College will present “Robert Frost and the Forests of Vermont.” In addition to being one of the most beloved and influential writers of the twentieth century, Frost was also an extremely perceptive observer of natural patterns. His ecological insights enrich the beauty and intricacy of his poems while also heightening his reader’s own understanding of northern New England’s densely forested landscape.

This lecture will look at both of these aspects of Frost as a poetic naturalist through readings and discussions of some of his most celebrated works. Along the way, Elder also will relate his poetry directly to his own experiences in the forests of Vermont, the same landscape that inspired Frost.

Elder taught English and environmental studies at Middlebury College for 37 years before retiring. He co-edited the foundational textbook “The Norton Book of Nature Writing,” and is considered an elder statesman of literature and the environment. His most recent books, “Reading the Mountains of Home,” “The Frog Run” and “Pilgrimage to Vallombrosa,” combine memoir with literary discussion and description of the Vermont landscape. There will be a booksigning of “Reading the Mountains of Home” following his lecture.

The lecture series continues March 12 with “The Nature of Slow Food” by professor Dan Philippon of the University of Minnesota.

“Interdisciplinary Explorations: The Idea of Nature” public lecture series is supported by the Boise State Arts and Humanities Institute, the Idaho Humanities Council, the Osher Institute of Lifelong Learning, the College of Idaho and the following Boise State entities: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education, College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs, Extended Studies, Department of English, and the Environmental Studies Program.