Committee Reports

• Public Affairs Committee

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Public Affairs Committee

Miriam Ashley-Ross

The SICB Program Advisory Committee has organized two events for the upcoming 2007 meeting in Phoenix:

Evolution Town Meeting: A Year After the Dover Decision
Kitzmiller v. Dover struck a blow for the teaching of evolution, and against creationism, in the the US public schools. How did this case affect the ongoing battle between creationists and scientists over what is taught in schools? What has happened in the year since, and what is on the horizon? How do lawyers argue such cases, and what do we, as scientists, need to know to help them? Join us on January 5th, 2007 from 12:00 - 1:30 pm, for the fifth Town Meeting on Evolution. Our panel will feature Kevin Padian (University of California at Berkeley), Patricia Princehouse (Case Western Reserve University), and Stephen Harvey (Pepper Hamilton LLC law firm). The speakers will give short presentations, followed by what is sure to be lively discussion from the audience.

Media Workshop: Hey, Wanna Read My Blog?
Blogs are online "diaries" that are growing in popularity. Popular political and social commentary blogs are making the news, but is there more out there than chatty gossip and collections of links? How about some science? Can this trendy technology be useful for scientists? Come to the Media Workshop and find out! Experienced science bloggers P.Z. Myers (Pharyngula; http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/), Grrl Scientist (Living the Scientific Life; http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/), and John Lynch (Stranger Fruit; http://scienceblogs.com/strangerfruit/) answer your questions about how blogging works, setting one up, finding things to write about, and using the medium for your classes, for research, or for educating the public.