2009 marks the bicentennial celebration of Charles Darwin’s birthday and the sesquicentennial celebration of the publication of his book, The Origin of Species.

MORNING SESSION 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Three eminent scientists and renowned speakers will present their work during the morning session:

9:00 a.m.   Sean Carroll: Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species
10:00 a.m. Patricia McConnell: Darwin, Dogs, and the Emotional Life of Animals
11:00 a.m. Jeremy Jackson: Evolution and Extinction in the Brave New Ocean.

OVER THE NOON HOUR 12:00 - 1:00 pm
Sean Carroll and Patricia McConnell will be available to sign copies of their recent books (available for purchase).

A teacher workshop, directed by Paul Williams, will also take place over the lunch hour. Contact Brooke Norsted (brooke@geology.wisc.edu or 262-1412) for workshop registration.

EARLY AFTERNOON SESSIONS 1:00-3:00 pm
Distinguished UW-Madison faculty will highlight the diversity of evolutionary research on campus in a series of six shorter presentations. From viruses to humans to the geologic record, Darwin’s thinking informs and stimulates current research. Speakers will be:

Audrey Gasch - The power of yeast: using model organisms to study environmental interactions and evolution
Tony Goldberg - West Nile Virus: “Real time” evolution with “real world” consequences
John Hawks - Genetics of hearing and the evolution of language
Nicole Perna - Would you eat this? Genomic perspectives on variation among E. coli strains
Shanan Peters - On the imperfections of the geologic record
Stanley Temple - Consequences of bottlenecks for evolution and conservation

Posters and family-friendly interactive displays on a wide range of evolutionary topics will be available from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

PANEL DISCUSSION 3:15-4:30 pm
A panel discussion on Science and the Media will round up the day’s events. Panelists will be:

James F. Crow - emeritus, UW-Madison
Jeremy Jackson - Scripps Institute
Molly Jahn - Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, UW-Madison

The day is free and open to the public. All events will be held in Microbial Sciences, located on Linden Dr. and Babcock St., across from Steenbock Library. (see http://www.map.wisc.edu/ for nearly parking lots) For additional information, please contact Prof. Dana Geary at dana@geology.wisc.edu; Mara McDonald at mamcdona@wisc.edu or 263-8941; or Brooke Norsted at brooke@geology.wisc.edu or 262-1412.

Also see: www.geology.wisc.edu

Sponsored by THE KEMPER-KNAPP BEQUEST, THE IRA AND INEVA REILLY BALDWIN WISCONSIN IDEA ENDOWMENT, THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON COLLEGE OF LETTERS & SCIENCE, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL AND LIFE SCIENCES, THE GEOLOGY MUSEUM AND THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS, THE LABORATORY OF GENETICS, THE EVOLUTION COORDINATING COMMITTEE, and the UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON LECTURES COMMITTEE.