University of Chicago professor and outspoken defender of evolution Jerry A. Coyne will discuss his book, Why Evolution is True, a passionate defense of natural selection as theory and fact.  In his book, Coyne presents, as Publishers’ Weekly states, a case that “evolutionary theory makes predictions that are consistently borne out by the data—basic requirements for a scientific theory to be valid.” Join us for a lively discussion of science and culture.

Monday, February 8, 2010        6:30pm
Columbia College of Chicago, Ferguson Auditorium, 600 S. Michigan Av., Rm 101

For more information about Columbia College Chicago’s Critical Encounters initiative, visit here.

Jerry A. Coyne, PhD is a Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolution at the University of Chicago and a member of both the Committee on Genetics and the Committee on Evolutionary Biology.  Coyne received a BS in Biology from the College of William and Mary.  He then earned a PhD in evolutionary biology at Harvard University in 1978, working in the laboratory of Richard Lewontin.  After a postdoctoral fellowship in Timothy Prout’s laboratory at The University of California at Davis, he took his first academic position as assistant professor in the Department of Zoology at The University of Maryland.  In 1996 he joined the faculty of The University of Chicago.

A special event featuring a panel discussion on the science behind climate change as well as its potential health impacts and ethical implications. Each speaker will give a short presentation on their area of expertise, followed by a panel discussion with questions from the audience moderated by Northwestern University lecturer John Laing.

This is part of the 2009-2010 “One Book, One Northwestern” series. This year’s book is “Hot, Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution and How It Can Renew America” by Thomas L. Friedman.

Date / Time: Thursday, February 18, 2010          7 – 8:30om

Location: Northwestern University, Lurie Ctr, Hughes Aud., 303 E. Superior, Chicago

FREE and open to the public.  Seating is limited.

Speakers include:

Doug Sisterson, Meteorologist, Argonne National Laboratory

Helen Binns, Professor of Pediatrics at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern

Laurie Zoloth, Director of the Center for Bioethics, Science and Society and Professor of both Medical Ethics & Humanities and Religion at Northwestern.

Moderator:  John Laing, Lecturer, Northwestern School of Continuing Studies and Weinberg College of Arts & Sciences