March 2nd
“Gattaca,” 6:00 p.m., Downtown Campus Library, Group Viewing Room 104
In “the not-too-distant” future, where genetic engineering of humans is common and DNA plays the primary role in determining social class, Vincent (Ethan Hawke) is conceived and born without the aid of this technology. Suffering from the nearly eradicated physical dysfunctions of myopia and a congenital heart defect, as well as being given a life expectancy of 30.2 years, Vincent faces extreme genetic discrimination and prejudice. The only way he can achieve his life-long dream of becoming an astronaut is to break the law and impersonate a “valid”, a person with appropriate genetic advantage.
Roundtable discussion to follow film.
March 3rd
“Angels and Insects,” 6:00 p.m., Downtown Campus Library, Group Viewing Room 104
Angels and Insects, directed by Phillip Haas, Playhouse International Pictures, Samuel Goldwyn Company, 1996 follows William Adamson (Mark Rylance), a poor naturalist, who returns home to Victorian England after having spent years along the Amazon River studying all kinds of animals, mainly insects. William is penniless, having lost all his possessions during shipwreck. Nevertheless he manages to befriend Sir Harald Alabaster (Jeremy Kemp), an amateur insect collector and botanist. Sir Harald hires William to teach his younger children about insects, assisting their nanny, Matty (Kristin Scott Thomas). Themes of eugenics and incest.
Roundtable discussion to follow film.
March 5th
“Local and Scandalous Darwin,” 7:30 p.m., Mountainlair ballrooms
Leila Gómez, professor of Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Colorado at Boulder, explores the ideological, political and social implications of the theory of evolution in South America and the intellectual debate it spurred between supporters and detractors in the formation of Latin American nations.
March 11th
“How Genetics Impact the Evolution of Human Relationships,” 7:30 p.m., Ming Hsieh Hall, Room G20
J. Phillipe Rushton, evolutionary psychologist at the University of Western Ontario, will present a lecture exploring how genetics impact the evolution of human relationships. This event is sponsored by the Departments of Biology and Psychology in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.
March 12th
“The Impact of Human Activity on Evolution,” 7:30 p.m., Mountainlair ballrooms
Kevin A. Jarrell, president and chief scientific officer of Modular Genetics in Cambridge, Mass., is a recognized expert in RNA splicing and gene assembly. His lecture will discuss how humans influence the evolutionary process – both intentionally and unintentionally. His talk is sponsored by the Department of Chemical Engineering and the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
March 26th
“Singing His Praises: Darwin and His Theory in Song and Musical Production,” 7:30 p.m., South Agricultural Sciences Auditorium, Room 1021
Betty Smocovitis, professor of zoology and history at the University of Florida, will explore a number of substantive issues in the history of evolution pertaining to controversies over Darwin and his theory in a lighthearted and engaging manner. Music will be played and discussed. Parking is available.
March 30th
“Science, Evolution, and Creationism: The Need for Science as a Liberal Art in the 21st Century,”March 30, 7:30 p.m., Mountainlair ballrooms
Jay Labov serves as Senior Advisor for Education and Communication for the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Research Council. He has been the study director for ten NRC reports on many aspects of science education. He also directed a committee of the NAS and the Institute of Medicine which authored Science, Evolution, and Creationism (2008) and oversees the NAS’s efforts to confront challenges to teaching of evolution in the nation’s public schools.