Date: May 23, 2008

Hofstra to Host Conference on Charles Darwin's Legacy in Celebration of His 200th Birthday, Sesquicentennial of "On the Origin of Species"

"Darwin's Reach: A Celebration of Darwin's Legacy Across Academic Disciplines" scheduled for March 12-14 2009

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY –  Hofstra University will host a 2009 conference examining the impact of Charles Robert Darwin and Darwinian evolution on science and society in celebration of the 200th anniversary of his birth and the sesquicentennial of the publication of his On the Origin of Species (1859). The conference, "Darwin's Reach: A Celebration of Darwin's Legacy Across Academic Disciplines," will take place March 12-14, 2009.
 
Presented by the Hofstra University Library, Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the Hofstra Cultural Center, the central theme of this academic conference is an exploration of how Darwin’s ideas have revolutionized our understanding of both the living world and human nature.

Papers exploring diverse topics on Darwin's legacy are invited from a wide variety of disciplines, including the natural and social sciences, humanities and law. For more information on the conference and on submitting papers, go to the conference Web site at:
http://www.hofstra.edu/Community/culctr/culctr_events_darwin.html

Keynote speakers for the conference will include:

•    Frans de Waal, Ph.D., Charles Howard Candler Professor of Primate Behavior at Emory University; author of Chimpanzee Politics and Our Inner Ape; preeminent researcher on primate social behavior;
•    Niles Eldredge, Ph.D., curator of paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History; curator of the Darwin exhibition; author of Charles Darwin - Discovering the Tree of Life and numerous other books on the subject of evolution;
•    Judge John E. Jones III, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, who ruled against the Dover (Pennsylvania) area school board’s attempt to introduce teaching on "intelligent design" into school science classes;
•    Jay Labov, Ph.D., senior advisor for education and communications at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.;
•    William F. McComas, Ph.D., Parks Family Professor of Science Education, University of Arkansas; 2007 recipient of the Evolution Education Award sponsored by the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS).

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law. With a student-faculty ratio of 14-to-1, our professors teach small classes averaging 22 students that emphasize interaction, critical thinking and analysis. Hofstra offers a faculty whose highest priority is teaching excellence, cutting edge technology, extensive library resources, internships and special educational programs that appeal to their interests and abilities.  The Hofstra community is driven, dynamic and energetic, helping students find and focus their strengths to prepare them for a successful future.

Related Link: For information on the conference and submitting papers: