Subject: PR: Science Group Promotes Education through DarwinDay Celebrations

From: "Dr.R.Stephens" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 2005 03:09:16 +0000

Darwin Day Celebration

       AN INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND HUMANITY

2682 Middlefield Rd., Suite P, Redwood City, CA  94063-3467  l  
[email-masked]  l  650-701-1948

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE 11/14/05:

Contacts:

  Darwin Day Celebration (DDC) Web site: darwinday.org 
<http://www.darwinday.org/>

  Bob Stephens, Ph.D., (President, Darwin Day Celebration, a 
tax-deductible 501?c?3 organization):  [email-masked] 
<mailto:[email-masked]>  Telephone # 650-701-1948.

  William Calvin, Ph.D.: [email-masked] 
<mailto:[email-masked]> DDC Advisory Board

  Daniel C. Dennett, Ph.D.: [email-masked] 
<mailto:[email-masked]> DDC Advisory Board

  Steve Jones Ph.D.: [email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]> 
DDC Advisory Board

  Carl Zimmer, Ph.D.: [email-masked] <mailto:[email-masked]> 
DDC Advisory Board

*Science Group Promotes Education through DarwinDay Celebrations*

On November 15^th  'Darwin Day Celebration', a tax-deductible 501?c?3 
group based in Redwood City, California, will begin its annual promotion 
of the worldwide Celebration of Science and Humanity to be held on 
Darwin's 197^th birthday, February 12, 2006.  The group uses electronic 
marketing techniques to promote and educate  about Darwin and 
evolution.  In previous years up to 325 EVENTS from around the world 
have been posted on their Web site.  The organization's Web site, 
darwinday.org <http://darwinday.org/>, features personal and scientific 
information about Charles Darwin, his theories, and modern biological 
advances derived from the theory of evolution.  The group aims to 
promote events, both electronic and live, for public education about 
Darwin's theory of natural selection to explain the origin of species, 
which scientists consider one of the most important conceptual 
breakthroughs in history. 

Darwin Day Celebration's work brings into sharp focus the bitter 
political struggle for control over science education.  The election of 
George W. Bush has led to an escalation of attacks on the scientific 
theory of evolution by religious fundamentalists. Some fundamentalists 
want science classes in public schools to teach creationism, the 
Biblical story of the origin of living things, or creationism's 
offspring "Intelligent Design".  Intelligent Design explains life 
without references to God, but leaves references to an "Intelligent 
Designer" supposedly responsible for life's more complex forms.  In a 
recent case in Dover, Pennsylvania, parents sued their school board for 
promoting Intelligent Design.  The parents argued that Intelligent 
Design was an attempt to intermix religious doctrine with scientific 
debate.  Dr. Mary White, a Darwin Day Celebration board member, said 
"American scientists are concerned about the need for informed citizens, 
who can make reasonable decisions about new technologies like stem cell 
therapy and biotechnology.  Every person should be deeply troubled about 
a religious takeover of science education."

In 1995, Bob Stephens, emeritus Director of the Cell Research Program at 
SRI International in Menlo Park, California, conceived the idea of a 
birthday celebration for Charles Darwin as an annual event around which 
to focus educational efforts.  Darwin Day celebrations now take place 
around the world, on or around Charles Darwin's birthday, February 12.  
The Darwin Day Celebration Web site lists the sponsors and locations of 
events, whether they are open to the public, as well as scientific 
experts who might be able to help plan an event or participate as 
speakers.  San Francisco Bay Area events have been held at Stanford and 
UC Berkeley, and many other educational institutions around the world.  
In addition to various scientific demonstrations, talks and displays, 
including birthday cakes, are often part of the festivities.

Darwin Day Celebration's Directors are Bob Stephens, Ph.D., President; 
Ben Wade, Treasurer; Arthur Jackson, Vice-President; and Mary White, 
Ph.D., Secretary.  The organization's Advisory Board includes eminent 
scientists, philosophers, educators and writers that are listed at 
http://darwinday.org/englishL/aboutddc/advisory.html .

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