by Greg Mayer
Darwin’s birthday, Feb. 12, is fast upon us, so, for those in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor, I’d like to announce three upcoming events in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the approximate center of the megalopolis.
First, on Darwin Day itself, Wednesday, February 12, Scott Thomson of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside will be speaking at 7 PM in Greenquist Hall 103 on “Intracellular Stowaways: Cells that Live Within Cells”. There are many symbioses between cells, including the famous one that led to certain bacteria becoming mitochondria and chloroplasts. The talk will pay particular attention to intracellular stowaways found in mosquitoes.
Then, on Thursday, February 13, it’s Science Movie Night in Greenquist Hall 103 at UW-Parkside, with a showing of “Flock of Dodos” by scientist-turned-filmmaker Randy Olson.
And on Saturday, February 15, it’s Darwin Day at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum, including family events on the main floor, and three short talks in the classroom, including one by yours truly on “The Evidence for Evolution“.
Also, on Wednesday morning, February 12, from about 8:10 AM to 9 AM I’ll be talking live with Greg Berg on WGTD 91.1 FM’s “Morning Show“, talking about Darwin and the evidence for evolution. On the following morning, Nick Wiersum, Curator of Natural History Education for the Kenosha Public Museums, will also make a brief appearance on the “Morning Show”, about 8:50 AM to 9 AM.
All the events are free and open to the public. UW-Parkside is easily accessible via I-94, and the Dinosaur Discovery Museum is in downtown Kenosha, overlooking Civic Center Park from the west.
The Darwin Day events are the result of a collaboration between the Kenosha Public Museum’s Dinosaur Discovery Museum, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, and Carthage College. Nick Wiersum of KPM and Chris Noto of UWP are the lead organizers.
Kudos to UW-Parkside, Carthage College, and the Dinosaur Discovery Museum.
I’m kind of annoyed that the university three blocks from my home (UW-Milwaukee) and my home town museum (Milwaukee Public Museum) don’t have any Darwin Day activities. At least none that they have made public.
You are more than welcome to come to our event…and bring your friends!
I did last year and will likely drive down again.
Have fun with your talk at the museum, Greg!
…and…may I ask a flavor?
Even if there’re professionals recording it, could you make sure that somebody in the audience gets it on a camcorder or cellphone or the like? I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting to vicariously enjoy it after the fact, and not all professional event recordings make it onto YouTube in a timely fashion, for all sorts of reasons.
Thanks!
b&
We’ll do our best to record all the talks. Thanks for your interest!
Wonderful! I’ll look forward to Jerry’s post telling us that the talks are available.
b&
Nice.
Q: If DD Museum use the creationist fake montage of Darwin, shouldn’t they add a disclaimer?
That picture (which is photoshopped: Darwin’s head is reversed and the finger is from some other, non-Darwin, photo) originated with the Natural History Museum in London in 2009 for its “Darwin, Big Idea, Big Exhibition” exhibit.
GCM
I didn’t care for FOD as it reminded me of an album review in Rolling Stone; you’re never quite sure who’s side Olson’s on.
Hey Jerry, After I listened to the exchange between Bill Nye and Ken Ham (and I think Nye acquitted himself better than expected and Ham came off like a buffoon) I was poking around on youtube and came across a debate that took place some years ago at Stanford between Christopher Hitchens and Jay Richards. Richards is clearly an extraordinarily intelligent guy and I think a real challenge to Hitchens or anybody speaking for rationality and/or atheism. I’d never seen or heard him before and I was mightily impressed, though unpersuaded. J Cook
I do wonder if Bill Nye’s relative success might create a situation where other ‘evolutionists’ or atheists will now feel more comfortable debating fundamentalists (and ID folk). And this might have the detrimental effect of legitimizing Creationism (and ID) as being a worthy topic of genuine scientific debate, and a worthy opponent.
Hell, maybe Ken Ham even threw the game as a form of bait.
Flock of Dodos by Randy Olson is really worth seeing!