Darwin turns 200! Darwin Day is Thursday - February 12th, 2009

Darwin Day is celebrated internationally to commemorate the life and work of Charles Darwin on the anniversary of his birth, and this year would be Darwin's 200th birthday! Read more. News The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Botanical Club will celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of *On The Origin of Species* with a symposium on plants and evolution. *Darwin and Botany in a Changing World:150 Years after The Origin of Species* will feature talks on the historical and philosophical implications of evolution and current research on plant evolution. Speakers include James Lennox, science historian from the University of Pittsburgh; Karl Niklas, evolutionary biologist from Cornell University; and Tatyana Livshultz, curator of botany at the Academy. Registration is $10; $5 for students and members of the Academy and Botanical Club. For more information and to register, please visit http://www.ansp.org/activities/darwin-botany.php W&M Alumni H. Allen Orr and Mohamed Noor Receive Prestigious Darwin-Wallace Award! Read more.

  2009 Darwin Day Events (Past):

Thursday, February 12, 2009, 7:00 PM; Sadler Center, Commonwealth Auditorium
Darwin Across the Disciplines: Panel Discussion
A Darwin Day discussion of the contribution of evolutionary thinking to various academic traditions. Sponsored by the Department of Biology. The panelists include:

• Dr. George Gilchrist: Biology
• Dr. Rowan Lockwood: Geology
• Dr. George Greenia: Linguistics
• Dr. Barbara King: Anthropology
• Dr. Paul Davies: Philosophy
• Dr. Jeanne Wilson: Business
• Dr. Lee Kirkpatrick: Psychology
• The Rev. Dr. John Kerr: Religion
• Special guest: Dr. Gregory Wray ('81), Developmental Biology

Friday, February 13, 2009, 4:00 PM; Millington Hall Room 150
From Pangenesis to Pangenomics: Insights into Human Evolution 150 Years After the Origin
Darwin Day Celebration seminar

Dr. Greg Wray - Professor of Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University
Dr. Wray is one of the leading "evo- devo" biologists in the world, and is also a William and Mary alumnus! We're fortunate to have Greg come back to Williamsburg to speak on his work. Dr. Wray studies evolution from the molecular level of bacteria to to sea urchins, extinct great white sharks, and diverges within primates. The seminar will be preceded by a brief coffee and tea reception at 3:45 pm in the Millington Hall front lobby.

 
Two Seminars by  Robert M. Hazen -- Carnegie Institution for Science

Minerological Co-Evolution in the Geo- and Biospheres
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm Millington Hall Room 117
coffee and tea at 3:45 pm, seminar at 4 pm

Themes and Variations in Complex Evolving Systems (or, Should you believe in evolution?)
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm Andrews Hall Room 101

Robert Hazen, research scientist at the Carnegie Institution of Washington's Geophysical Laboratory and Clarence Robinson Professor of Earth Science at George Mason University, will be speaking twice at the College of William and Mary on Thursday, October 9th.  Dr. Hazen's research centers on the role of minerals in the origin of life, but his many books and articles have engaged the public in understanding of science, not only in his field of origins of life on earth, but in topics such as black holes, alchemy, and music.

Dr. Hazen has received many awards: the Mineralogical Society of America Award (1982), the American Chemical Society Ipatieff Prize (1986), the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award (1989), the Educational Press Association Award (1992), and the Elizabeth Wood Science Writing Award (1998). His most recent honor was having the phosphate biomineral hazenite named after him in 2008!  Robert Hazen is also a professional trumpeter, performing in ensembles with major opera houses, symphonies, ballet houses, and orchestras on the United States' east coast and in Europe.