MIT Darwin Bicentennial Conference
Post date: Jul 03, 2008 1:50:39 AM
MIT Darwin Bicentennial Symposium
Jan 22-24 2009
Free and open to the community.
Thursday: The Evolving Earth
(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
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
(265 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA)
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.