Groundbreaking scientist Jane Goodall brings a message of hope to a sold-out Miami crowd

Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall addressed a sold-out crowd of 3,400 people on Friday night at the Florida International University’s Ocean Bank Convocation Center.

The diverse crowd of university students and enthusiastic supporters of all ages, were treated to a soft-spoken, yet vibrant, lecture.

During the event, “An Evening with Dr. Jane Goodall: Inspiring Hope through Action,” the 88-year-old spoke for about 90 minutes — standing for more than half of it. She took the crowd on a journey of her life and hopes for our collective responsibility, to take care of the planet and all living species.

“Dr. Goodall continues, as a global icon spreading hope and turning it into a meaningful positive impact, to create a better world for people, other animals, and the planet we share,” said Elizabeth Bejar, senior vice president of FIU’s academic and student affairs, and co-host of the event.

Goodall is known for her groundbreaking studies of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, which changed our understanding of the relationship to the animal kingdom. This transformative research continues today as the longest-running chimpanzee study in the world.

Goodall kicked off her lecture by making chimpanzee noises to introduce herself. She continued with stories about her early life, and shared that her love for animals came as soon as she popped out of her mother’s womb. This was solidified when she read ‘Tarzan of the Apes’ as a child.

“I had just enough money to buy it, so I took it home and I read it cover to cover, and I actually fell in love with this glorious man from the jungle, and what did Tarzan do? He married the wrong Jane,” said Goodall, as the crowd broke into laughter.

Goodall went on to describe the emotions she felt setting foot in Cape Town for the first time and touching African soil.

There, Goodall became a scientist who challenged conventional notions about primates and provided evidence for the evolutionary relationship between humans and chimpanzees. By the time she left Africa, she was an activist.

She discussed her career as a female scientist and some of the discoveries she made.

“Girls weren’t scientists in those days, and everybody would just laugh at me,” said Goodall.

She also shared her understanding of the problems South Florida faces with the everglades lowering level of water, the release of pythons and the need for a corridor to protect the last of the Florida panthers.

“Think of your Florida panther,” Goodall said. “If enough of you are determined to stop it from becoming extinct, you can do it. You can save the manatees from speed boats and help the Everglades. Don’t give up — there’s so much you can do. If we get together, we truly can make this a better world.”

She hopes that scientific breakthroughs will help ease the climate crisis in the future.

“If everybody loses hope — especially the youth — then we are doomed, because if you lose hope then you become apathetic,” she said. “That’s why I am here and sharing this message that there is hope, the windows are closing, and we better get together and start taking action.”

The event concluded with a moderated Q&A by Mireya Mayor, primatologist, director of exploration and science communication in FIU’s College of Arts, Science and Education, and a longtime friend of Goodall.

“Together we can, together we will, together we must,” Mayor and Goodall said in unison, encouraging the crowd to join them in chant.

This story was produced as part of a partnership between the Florida International University Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media and the Miami Herald. Lauren Wurts is an FIU journalism student.