Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Silicon Valley Group Uses Electronic Organizing in Evolution Education

From: "R.Stephens" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 12 Nov 2005 23:26:32 +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

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

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

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

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

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

Silicon Valley Group Uses Electronic Organizing in Evolution Education

On November 15th  ‘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 197th birthday, February 12, 2006.  The group uses electronic marketing techniques to promote and disseminate information 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, 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 .

- END -