MIT Darwin Bicentennial Symposium

Jan 22-24 2009

Free and open to the community.

Thursday: The Evolving Earth

The Broad Auditorium

(Corner of Ames & Main Streets, Cambridge, MA)

Thursday afternoon: Chair: Prof. Maria Zuber (MIT EAPS)

1:00 pm. Introduction Prof. Maria Zuber (MIT Earth, Atmosphere & Planetary Sciences)

1:30 pm. Origin of the Solar System and Early Earth Prof. Lindy Elkins-Tanton (MIT EAPS)

2:30 pm. Evolution of the Oceans and the Early Atmosphere of the Earth Prof. Shuhei Ono (MIT EAPS)

3:30 pm. Evolution of photosynthesis Prof. Tanja Bosak (MIT EAPS)

Thursday Evening:

7:00 pm. Introduction:Life Alters the Earth Prof. Dianne Newman (MIT Dept. of Biology)

7:30 pm. History and Future of Earth's Climate Prof. Kerry Emanuel (MIT EAPS)

Friday: Evolutionary Mechanisms in Vertebrates

The Broad Auditorium

Friday morning:

9:00 am. Coffee.

9:30 am. Darwin, Wallace and the Origin of Species Prof. John Durant (MIT Museum and Science, Technology & Society Program)

10:00 am. Evolution and Development of the Vertebrate Brain Prof. Hazel Sive (MIT Dept of Biology)

10:45 am. Novel Mechanisms of Evolutionary Change Prof. Susan Lindquist (Whitehead Institute)

11:30 am. Evolution of the Vertebrate Eye Prof. Russell Fernald (Stanford University Neuroscience Program)

Friday afternoon:

2:00 pm. Natural Selection in Humans and Pathogens Prof. Pardis Sabeti (Broad Institute and Harvard University)

3:00 pm. Fish Fins to Tetrapod Limbs: The Landmark Evolutionary Transition in the Origin of Terrestrial Vertebrates Prof. Farish Jenkins, Jr. (Harvard, Dept. of Biology)

4:00 pm. New insights into the diversification of beak morphology in Darwin's Finches and regressive evolution in cave fish  Prof. Cliff Tabin (Harvard Medical School, Dept of Genetics)

Saturday: Darwin in Society 

Saturday morning:

9:00 am. Coffee.

Darwin, His Life and Times

9:30 am. The Emergence of Darwin’s Evolutionary Theory Prof. Harriet Ritvo (MIT History Faculty)

10:00 am. Darwin and the Naturalization of Human Culture Prof. Jim Paradis (MIT Writing Program)

Evolution in Action

11:00 am. The Evolution of Cell Division Prof. Iain Cheeseman (MIT/Whitehead Institute)

11:30 am. The Battle Between Pathogens and the Immune System Prof. Hidde Ploegh (MIT/Whitehead Institute)

Saturday afternoon: Societal impacts and issues

1:30 pm. Local Resources for Biology Teachers Dr. Natalie Kuldell (MIT Bioengineering Dept.), Prof. Rebeca Rosengaus (Northeastern University Dept. of Biology), Dr. Connie Chow (Science Club for Girls)

2:00 pm. Darwin, Abolition, and Struggles for Social Equality Prof. Jonathan King (MIT Dept. of Biology)

2:30 pm. Current Controversies over the Teaching of Evolution John Durant (MIT Museum and Science, Technology & Society Program)

Program Committee: John Durant, David Housman, Jonathan King (Chair), Susan Lindquist, Ishara Mills-Henry, Harriet Ritvo, James Paradis, Hazel Sive, Maria Zuber.

Staff: Cindy Woolley; Emiko Bare; Grigoire Pintilie

Sponsors:

MIT Dept. of Biology; MIT Museum; MIT School of Humanities; MIT School of Science; Cambridge Forum on Science Education; Massachusetts Darwin Bicentennial Project; New England Biolabs; Whitehead Institute; Broad Institute.