The State Theatre Modesto, CA
Dr. Bill Donahue
Senior Scientist and Owner, Sierra Research Laboratories, Inc.
Spider-Man— The Amazing Power of Spiders
Program Description
Dr. Bill Donahue gave a talk on the power of spiders.
Presented At
The State Theatre Modesto, CA
Film Synopsis
When bitten by a genetically modified spider, a nerdy, shy, and awkward high school student gains spider-like abilities that he eventually must use to fight evil as a superhero after tragedy befalls his family.
Based on the popular Marvel comics by Stan Lee, Spider-Man tells the story of Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), an orphaned, intellectual teen loner living in Queens with his aunt (Rosemary Harris) and uncle (Cliff Robertson), and dreaming of the girl next door, Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst). On a field trip to a Columbia University lab, Peter is bitten by a genetically engineered “super spider” and, overnight, gains superhuman strength, agility, and perception. A tragedy follows that compels him to devote his powers to fighting crime—as the superhero Spider-Man. Peter’s do-gooder alter ego finds a nemesis in the form of the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), a super-powered, megalomaniacal villain. They come face to face, and a war begins in which only one of them will survive.
About the Speaker
Dr. Bill Donahue is the senior scientist and owner of Sierra Research Laboratories, Inc. (SRL) in Modesto, CA. SRL is an independent contract research laboratory specializing in testing new chemicals and devices for insect control in the fields of urban and veterinary entomology. Dr. Donahue received his BA in biological science from San Jose State University and his PhD in entomology from Texas A&M University. He worked for Zoëcon Corporation, a company developing novel types of insect control agents (Insect Growth Regulators—IGR’s) based on insect physiology and biochemistry for 14 years before starting his own laboratory in 1994. SRL specializes in research and product development of new or novel pesticides and/or formulations and devices for the control of pests in the areas of urban, medical, veterinary, vector, and specialty products entomology. Specialties include experimental design, protocol development, and consulting in the conduct of efficacy studies to be used for scientific and/or regulatory support in the US and internationally.