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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Jane Lubchenco, an internationally known researcher and educator at Oregon State University, will tell some of the world's top scientists this week that we are entering the century of the environment and changes are needed.

Lubchenco is president of the 143,000-member American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's oldest, largest and most influential science group. She said she plans to discuss the environment and the role of science in the future during her president's lecture scheduled Saturday, Feb. 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the group's annual meeting.

The theme of the Feb. 13-18 gathering at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle is Engaging Science - Sustaining Society.

"Human health, the economy, social sciences, national security - these are all environmental issues," said Lubchenco, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of a MacArthur "genius" award. "We need to devote more of our attention and resources on the environment."

Lubchenco also will be part of a symposium on "The Nature and Value of Economic Service Systems." The symposium begins at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16. It will examine how economic prosperity hinges upon safeguarding essential life support services of natural ecosystems.

On Monday at 3 p.m., Lubchenco, the Wayne and Gladys Valley Professor of Marine Biology at OSU, will talk about new research during a session titled "Science and Marine Protected Areas."

Lubchenco will be featured at two media briefings: Saturday, at 11 a.m., on valuing economic service systems; and Monday, at 1 p.m., on marine ecology.

Other topics of the meeting include: biological and genetic diversity; the brain, human behavior and language; communicating science; computer information; education and education reform; environment and environmental management; genetic research and human health; global change; industry, technology and engineering; natural resource issues in the Pacific Northwest; public health; and public policy.