Darwin Days at Iowa State
Feb 6-27 Celebrating Darwin Day: Selection of Works from Special Collections
Feb 11 and Feb 12 12pm Flock of Dodos screening
Feb 12 2pm Darwin and Culture
Feb 12 3pm Darwin’s Citation Impact
Feb 12 7pm Darwin and me: A panel discussion on science and religion
Feb 13 7pm Darwin made me do it: Secular vs religious ethics by D.J. Grothe
Feb 18 12pm A Conversation with Francisco Ayala
Feb 18 7pm Darwin Bicentennial Celebration Committee reception and poster session
Feb 18 8pm Darwin’s Gift to Science and Religion by Francisco J. Ayala
Feb 25 6-9pm Darwin Fest
Please find details and descriptions of these events below:
Celebrating Darwin Day:
Selection of Works from Special Collections
6 to 27 February from 8 am to 5 pm
Parks Library
The exhibit celebrates the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s revolutionary book, On the Origin of Species, which explained his theory of natural selection and evolution. Sponsored by the ISU Library Special Collections Department.
Flock of Dodos screening
11 and 12 February 12 noon-1 pm
240 Bessey Hall
Faculty, staff, and students are invited bring their lunches to a screening and discussion of the movie Flock of Dodos: The Evolution-Intelligent Design Circus in two installments, over the Wednesday and Thursday noon hours. Seating is limited. Sponsored By: Darwin Bicentennial Celebration Committee
Darwin and Culture
Thursday 12 February at 2 pm
Parks Library, room 192
A survey of literature to examine the culture in which Darwin’s work was presented and the impact of his work on culture up to this day. Includes impact on sociology, psychology, archeology, literature, and many other facets of culture. Presented by Heather Lewin, Asst. Professor & Subject Librarian of Science & Technology. Sponsored by the ISU Library Special Collections Department.
Darwin’s Citation Impact
Thursday 12 February at 3 pm
Parks Library, room 192
This session will cover basic definitions of impact factors, citation impact and h index. Then, will look at Charles Darwin’s publication record, the process involved in determining his citation impact, and compare Darwin’s citation impact to that of modern day researchers in ecology and evolutionary biology. Presented by Lorrie Pellack, Assoc. Professor & Department Head of Science & Technology. Sponsored by the ISU Library Special Collections Department.
Darwin and Me:
A panel discussion on science and religion
Thursday 12 February at 7 pm
Cardinal Room, Memorial Union
Does faith play a role in science?
On Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday, our panel will discuss how Darwin’s work has affected their religious beliefs. Panel members include Iowa State professors and graduate students from both the sciences and humanities and a variety of faiths. The audience will join the discussion with the goal of encouraging mutual understanding between scientists and non-scientists and among people of different faiths, challenging the idea that evolution contradicts religion. Enjoy free birthday cake and primordial punch provided by the ISU Interdepartmental Genetics Department. Hosted by the ISU Freethinkers Alliance for Tolerance and Ethics; advertising funded by the Secular Student Alliance and the ISU Lectures Program (funded by GSB). For more info, contact FATE at isufate at gmail dot com. RSVP at the Facebook event.
Panel members:
Abdelhamid Azzaz, Muslim graduate student in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Michael Clough, Christian professor in the Center for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education
Clark Ford, New Age professor in Food Science and Human Nutrition, Bioethics
Tom Ingebritsen, Christian professor in Genetics, Development and Cell Biology
Nimer Mehyar, Muslim graduate student in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Barbara Pleasants, Jewish professor in Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Mandy Zimmerli, Buddhist graduate student in Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Darwin Made Me Do It:
Secular vs Religious Ethics
presented by D. J. Grothe of the Center for Inquiry
Friday 13 February at 7 pm
Campanile Room, Memorial Union
Can people be good without being religious?
D. J. Grothe is Vice President & Director of Outreach Programs for the Center for Inquiry, a think tank that advances science, reason and secular values in public a airs. He is also associate editor of Free Inquiry magazine, and has lectured widely on topics at the intersection of education, secularism and science at universities such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley, and dozens of others. Questions to be addressed include: What does Darwin’s theory of evolution tell us about morality? Can a secular ethics – based firmly in the sciences – hold the answers to the world’s greatest problems? Coffee, tea, and goodies will be provided. Hosted by the ISU Atheist and Agnostic Society; sponsored by the Center for Inquiry, the Iowa Secularists, and the Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers; advertising funded by the Secular Student Alliance and the ISU Lectures Program (funded by GSB). For more info, contact AAS isuaas at gmail dot com. RSVP at the Facebook event.
A Conversation with Francisco Ayala
Wednesday 18 February at 12 noon
Sun Room, Memorial Union
Francisco Ayala is a former Dominican priest whose defense of evolution does not rule out belief in God. His writings range from the scientific method to the biological foundations of ethics. Ayala is an evolutionary biologist and geneticist at the University of California, Irvine, was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a winner of the National Medal of Science. He was a chief witness in the creationist trials in Arkansas in 1981 that prevented religion from being taught as science in the classroom.
Darwin Bicentennial Celebration
Committee reception and poster session
Wednesday 18 February at 7 pm
South Ballroom, Memorial Union
ISU faculty and students will present their research in evolutionary biology. Part of the National Affairs Series and the Darwin Bicentennial Celebration.
Darwin’s Gift to Science and Religion
presented by Francisco J. Ayala
Wednesday 18 February at 8 pm
Sun Room/South Ballroom, Memorial Union
Francisco Ayala will present his most recent book, Darwin’s Gift to Science and Religion. Part of the National Affairs Series and the Darwin Bicentennial Celebration. Sponsored by: Bioethics Program, Darwin Bicentennial Celebration Committee, EEB Interdepartmental Graduate Program, Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Interdepartmental Genetics Graduate Program, LAS Miller Lecture Fund, National Affairs, Parks Library, Philosophy & Religious Studies, Committee on Lectures (funded by GSB).
DarwinFest
25 February 25 6 pm – 9 pm
Atrium & 1414 Molecular Biology Building
Festivities for students, faculty, staff, and families begin at 6 pm with an hors d’oeuvre reception, games, activities, trivia, and a costume contest. A special lecture regarding Darwin’s life will be presented by Dr. Rob Wallace (EEOB) at 7:30 pm: A Brief Biography of Charles Robert Darwin: A Man that “Rocked” the Scientific World. The presentation will review all aspects of Charles Darwin’s life (1809-1882), including that of his family, formal and informal education, his colleagues, his famous voyage, and the diverse scientific interests he had throughout his life. The influences that others’ had upon him, as well as how his own experiences and synthetic abilities to lead to his ideas about natural selection, formation of new species, and relationships among organisms will be shown as the major factors that resulted in the widespread acceptance of his ideas and impact in modern biology. Birthday cake and prizes will follow the lecture. Sponsored By: Darwin Bicentennial Celebration Committee
