Darwin Day Event - Evolution Exposed: Would You Know It if You Saw It?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Women's City Club, 254 E. Fulton, Grand Rapids, Michigan, View Map
Presented by Gregory Forbes, PhD, Professor of Biological Sciences, GRCC
Description
Join us as Professor Gregory Forbes presents the Darwin Day Event Evolution Exposed: Would You Know It if You Saw It?
Unlike pornography, you may not know it when you see it. Evolution is all around us! Learn why you should never use a doctor, elect a politician, buy from a farmer or invest in a company that doesn't understand, accept and incorporate evolution theory into their professional practice? This presentation will examine the daily utility and application of evolution theory to everybody's life. Evolution; you just can't live without it!
About the Speaker
Dr. Greg Forbes is the National Course Director for the National Science Foundation’s Chautauqua course on evolution and evolution education for college and university professors. He also serves as the Education Director for the Michigan Evolution Education Initiative, a statewide initiative designed to help teachers effectively teach evolution; as the Director of the Evolution Education Institute, an initiative that expands the Michigan project nationally; is the Evolution Education Specialist for the 4000 member Michigan Science Teachers Association; and is a founding member of Michigan Citizens for Science.
Dr. Forbes is a Professor of Biological Sciences at Grand Rapids Community College where he also serves as Director of the Science Education Center.
Boasting a broad education in biological sciences Dr. Forbes has earned a B.S. in Wildlife and Natural Resources Management from California Polytechnic University, a M.S. in Biological Sciences from California Polytechnic University and a Ph.D. from the Department of Zoology and also the Department of Tropical Environmental Studies at James Cook University in Australia. Dr. Forbes also holds professional certification as a Certified Wildlife Biologist.
With 25 years of university and college instructional experience, Dr. Forbes’ instructional and curricular development work has included the development of 22 college and university courses in both the biological and physical sciences at four institutions as well as instruction of a wide diversity of courses such as zoology, natural resources management, geology, tropical ecology, marine biology and human anatomy and physiology.
In 2004 Dr. Forbes was awarded the Michigan Science Teachers Association highest award, College & University Science Teacher of the Year. In 2005, the Michigan ACLU selected Greg as the Civil Libertarian of the Year for his work in defending the integrity of science education against attempts to introduce non-scientific ideologies into the public classroom. He was also selected by the Freethought Association as the 2006 Freethinker of the Year in recognition of his efforts to promote freethought and in consideration to his work in the legislative arena to safeguard the teaching of science in public classrooms.
Since 1993, Dr. Forbes has served as an Editorial Board member for Skeptic Magazine, an international publication promoting a scientific approach to addressing social, philosophical, and scientific issues with a significant emphasis upon evolutionary thought, education, and inquiry. He also authors a regular column in the Michigan Science Teachers Association’s Journal entitled “Natural Selections; Essays on Evolution and the Nature of Science”. Dr. Forbes has been a featured or keynote speaker at many dozens of scientific and educational conferences. He is also a founding member and current Board member of the Michigan Citizens for Science, a citizens group that works to ensure quality science education in the public classroom.
Additional Details
Meetings are open to the Public
After the meeting, join us at Vitale’s Restaurant, 834 Leonard NE, Grand Rapids, MI to socialize. View Map
Learn about Parking, Accessibility, Child Care and more.
Cost: $6.00 or free for Friends of the Center.
Contact: Jennifer Beahan, , 616-698-2342
