Throughout the day (8:00 am – 4:00 pm), BSU Biology students will be staffing information booths and natural history displays in Dana Mohler-Faria Science and Mathematics Center (DMF) atrium, and research posters on ecology and evolution research by BSU undergraduates will be on display in the DMF 2nd floor Park Ave. hallway.
In addition, there are three public lectures throughout the day:
8:00 – 9:45 AM Lecture and Q&A with Dr. Caitlin Fisher-Reid – DMF Auditorium 120
Title: “Darwinian Medicine: Evolution’s Impact on Our Health”
10:00 – 11:45 AM Lecture and Q&A with Ms. Maria Armour – DMF Auditorium 120
Topic: “Functional Morphology: Historically Valuable, but What Scientific Value Does It Hold Today?”
7:00 – 8:30 PM: Keynote Lecture and Q&A with Dr. Patty Brennan on defending basic science – DMF Auditorium 120
“Time to step up! Defending “oddball” science”
Despite general agreement on the importance of science as a whole, public trust in science is eroding and political attacks on science continue. Many attacks are directed towards research that seems strange and not geared towards solving particular societal problems, what we might call “oddball” science. These attacks reflect a deep lack of understanding and support for basic science that has devastating consequences to innovation. Dr. Brennan will discuss the experience of having her basic research on duck genitalia being attacked for political gain, and what she learned about science misperceptions in society. She will offer many examples that highlight why we need to support more basic science, and how we can all participate in this process.