Sample Websites for you to browse for ideas
on how to celebrate Darwin, Science, and Humanity
Note: Some of these links go to a main site but not to the specific Darwin Day page. If you find a more specific page, please e-mail us the more specific URL (link).
Samples of DarwinDay Events Planned For Bicentennial Celebrations in 2009
- Darwin’s Birthplace: Towards 2009
Darwin’s birthplace, Shrewsbury, England, plans to be the epicenter of the global anniversary celebrations in 2009. From their Website: “Darwin’s birthplace, Shrewsbury, England, holds a month-long festival honoring Darwin. From their Website: “The organisers of Shrewsbury 2009 have drawn together the arts and the sciences to create a constantly evolving and wide ranging programme that will expand over the coming years, culminating in 2009 with a calendar of events, which will form the epicentre of the global anniversary celebrations.”
Shrewsbury’s annual month-long Darwin Festival
In addition Shrewsbury holds a month-long festival each year in February honoring their favorite son. From their Website: “The Darwin Festival was founded in 2003 in recognition of the fact that Darwin's bicentenary was looming and it was fitting that the town of his birth should mark the event. We now attract international speakers and international visitors to our event. Our keynote speaker in February 06 was Richard Dawkins.”
Shrewsbury's 2005 Darwin Festival
Summary of events.
Darwin's birthplace with special reference to Darwin
The town of Shrewsbury
Official website of the Darwin Birthplace Society
From their website: " The Society will provide a formal network, gathering all with an interest in Darwin and his birthplace. It is potentially a vehicle for the acquisition of funding for the many exciting projects in the pipeline and will offer members the opportunity to help to preserve Charles Darwin's heritage for the future. Members can become actively involved in the work for the preservation of Darwin's Birthplace in Shrewsbury."
- The Beagle Project
From their website: “The Pembrokeshire Beagle will be a working replica of the boat on which the young Charles Darwin sailed between 1831 and 1836…We intend that the replica Beagle will inspire a new generation of scientists and play a crucial role in increasing public understanding of science…Beagle will sail with crews of young students who will undertake scientific research and environmental monitoring, and will be mentored by science professionals seconded from universities and industry…[The Beagle replica] will be the focus of worldwide attention during the Darwin 200 celebrations in 2009, which will celebrate and promote the life and work of Charles Darwin.”] NB: The BBC has expressed interest in filming a series aboard the replica.
The Beagle Project Blog
Keep up with latest news on the project
Overview of the Beagle Voyage
Historical summary of events leading up to Darwin's Beagle Voyage
History of the Beagle voyage
- University of Nebraska Symposium on Evolution 2009(URL pending):
In celebration of Charles Darwin's 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his work, On the Origin of Species, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Biology Department (BHS 211A) will sponsor a symposium on evolution. Guest speakers:
Randy Moore
, University of Minnesota;
Jack Horner
, Montana State University;
Rob Knight
, University of Colorado;
Lisa Steiner
, MIT;
Scott Gilbert
, Swarthmore College;
Donald Johanson
, Arizona State University.
In addition, they plan a poster session open to registration by students and faculty. They also plan a dinner the evening on September 3 which the guest speakers will attend and converse.
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Samples of Websites of Darwin Day Events Held at Universities in Past Years
- Darwin Day 2005 Symposium at the University of Birmingham Medical School
Symposium:
Dr Roy Chaudhuri (Division of Immunity and Infection), The evolution of human immunodeficiency virus;
Professor Tony Hallam (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences), What caused the biggest mass extinction of all at the end of the Permian?;
Professor Chris Ponting (University of Oxford), How rapid evolution has shaped the human genome;
Dr Robert Prescott (University of St Andrews), The Hunt for HMS Beagle;
Dr Alison Pearn and Dr Paul White (Cambridge University Library), The Darwin Correspondence Project;
Professor April McMahon (University of Edinburgh), The Evolution of Language.
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- University of Wisconsin-Madison DARWIN DAY OUTREACH SYMPOSIUM. Evidence for Evolution: Updating Darwin's Case. All day symposium with 8 talks by UW Madison faculty followed by a panel discussion. Sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison's College of Letters and Science, Division of Continuing Studies, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and Evolution Coordinating Committee. (back to top)
- Darwin Day 2006 at University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Sponsors: The Chancellor, Division of Biology, the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and the Department of Religious Studies, at the University of Tennessee:
Rev. Michael Dowd , "Why Jesus Loves Darwin and You Could Too", and "The Gospel According to Evolution: Great News Personally and Globally",
Dr. Tim Berra, evolutionary ichthyologist, "Charles Darwin: The Man 1809-1882",
A workshop for area high and middle school teachers titled "Teaching Evolution in Public Schools: Current Challenges", hosted by the Tennessee Valley Universalist Unitarian Church in Knoxville. (back to top)
- Central Washington University 2006 Darwin Week
Central Washington University Department of Geological Sciences, Ellensburg, Washington. See also http://www.cwu.edu/~relation/pr-feb02-06.html.
Program:
Alexander Glass, CWU Department of Geological Sciences, "A Young Earth? A Geologist Looks at the Creation-Evolution Debate",
Bruce Palmquist, CWU Department of Physics, "Science and Religion: Friends or Foes?"
Jay Bachrach, CWU Department of Philosophy, "Intelligent Design Theory - Is it Science?",
Andrew Piacsek, CWU Department of Physics, "The Age of the Cosmos",
Carey Gazis, CWU Department of Geological Sciences, "The Age of the Earth",
Alexander Glass, CWU Department of Geological Sciences, "Evolution, Religion, and You",
Steven Verhey, CWU Department of Biological Sciences, "Why Teaching Creationism in College Science Classes is Good for Science",
Alexander Glass, CWU Department of Geological Sciences and Andrew Piacsek, Department of Physics, "Evolution - What About God?" A Video Presentation Followed by Discussion,
Alexander Glass, CWU Department of Geological Sciences, "Navigating the Minefield - Can Evolution Be Taught Without the Controversy?". (back to top)
- Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
Biology students show posters related to Darwin's life and achievements. (back to top)
- Darwin Day Celebration at Stanford 2006
Keynote speaker, Dr. Frank Sulloway (University of California, Berkeley), “In Darwin's Footsteps: How the Galapagos Islands Revolutionized His Thinking.”
In addition, introduction by Prof. William H. Durham, (Anthropological Sciences and Human Biology), and panel discussion with Prof. Stephen Palumbi (Biological Sciences, Hopkins Marine Station) and Prof. James H. Jones (Anthropological Sciences). (back to top)
Samples of Museum Websites celebrating Darwin Day
- Darwin Day 2006 Celebrations at the Redpath Museum of McGill University. "Defending Darwin and Evolution Today", a lecture by Dr. Brian Alters, an Expert Witness in a US Federal trial on Science, Education, Biological Evolution and "Intelligent Design Creationism". "Defending Evolution with Fossils", a gallery tour and presentation with Dr. Hans Larsson, professor of Vertebrate Paleontology and expert on Mesozoic vertebrates.
Also Darwin Day 2007 at Redpath.
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Darwin Day 2006 Celebrations at the National Museum of Ireland.
"Darwin's Curiosity", lecture, Rebecca Stoff, author of Darwin and the Barnacle. Museum tours for adults and juniors, emphasizing Darwin and human evolution.
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Darwin Day 2006 Celebrations at London's Natural History Museum.
Lively discussion with the former Curator of Down House, Charles Darwin's home in Kent, ranging from his voyage on the Beagle to his theory of evolution, and from his privileged upbringing to his loyal friends.
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Darwin Day 2006 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.
"Darwin Remembers", 80-minute play about Darwin's life and work, including re-enactment of the 1860 Huxley-Wilberforce debate. (back to top)
- Darwin Day 2007 at the University of California Museum of Paleontology
The UCMP museum will present a short course, "The Implications of Evolution: Evidence and Applications", on Saturday, February 10, 2007, in Room 2050, Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley, from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. From their website: "Learn about current research in evolutionary biology, including behavior and defense, primate evolution, and coevolution and its impact on biodiversity . AND celebrate Darwin Day (Darwin's birthday is February 12) a little early!" See their website for list of speakers and topics. ["UCMP is a member of the Berkeley Natural History Museums
. This course is co-sponsored by the California Science Teachers Association, California Academy of Sciences, the Oakland Museum of California, and the National Center for Science Education."]
Samples of Websites created by freethought organizations celebrating Darwin Day
- Italian Union of Rationalist Atheists and Agnostics Celebrates Darwin Day 2006 Throughout Italy
Website details programs in 18 cities.
- Secular Humanists Society of New York Celebrate Darwin Day
Historian of Science and Darwin expert Richard Milner discusses original research into Darwin's secret war on Victorian Spiritualists and con men posing as psychics.
- Houston Church of Freethought Celebrates Darwin Day
A fellowship of unbelievers. Service includes viewing DVDs of Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins, E.O. Wilson, James Watson, and the film, “Inherit the Wind”. Readings of Darwin quotes and visuals of Darwin’s home.
- The Atheist Experience.
A weekly public access TV program, presentation on Charles Darwin, live phone conversations. DVD of the Darwin Day show is available for purchase, see archive #435.
- See article in Contra Costa Times on Darwin Day evolving into worldwide celebration.
- See also:
- Definitions of freethought, freethinking and freethinkers, see Wikipedia article, “Freethought”.
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Samples of religious Websites celebrating evolution
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The Clergy Letter Project Presents Evolution Sunday 2006 “On 12 February 2006 hundreds of Christian churches from all portions of the country and a host of denominations came together to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. For far too long, strident voices, in the name of Christianity, have been claiming that people must choose between religion and modern science. More than 10,000 Christian clergy signed The Clergy Letter demonstrating that this is a false dichotomy.” Click here for a list of participating clergy signatories. Click here (and search for “Evolution Sunday”) for a listing of participating congregations holding services around the time of Darwin Day, on the theme of the compatibility of Evolution and Religion .
- “Churches say 'amen' for Darwin's theory: Many to celebrate scientist's birthday”. By Lisa Anderson, Chicago Tribune, February 12, 2006
- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Decatur Celebrates Darwin Day 2006.
From their February newsletter: “February 12—"Happy Birthday Charles Darwin," with Rev. John Biedler. Building upon the comments last Sunday by guest speaker James Winker on the struggle between science and religion, today we will celebrate the 197th birthday of Charles Darwin. February 12, 2009 will be his 200th; that date will also be the 150th anniversary of the publication of his famous book On The Origin Of Species. What has been his legacy? What new ideas, new controversies, new understandings of the evolutionary process have emerged since his death? Life is ever expanding, ever changing, ever evolving, and so much our understanding of the evolving process on our planet. Here are what I've been able to glean are science's latest understandings and what they might mean to lives.”
- Pastor of Stony Brook Community Church (Methodist) speaks up for science on Darwin Day 2006.
“The Rev. Richard E. Edwards will not mince words in his sermon today about God and Charles Darwin, the 19th century naturalist whose theory of evolution rocked the world. ‘I want to reaffirm the compatibility of Biblical tradition and modern science,’ said Edwards, pastor of Stony Brook Community Church, a small, Methodist congregation that draws members from the nearby university and medical center. ‘This is a community where science counts, and where folks really need to hear that.’”
- Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie Celebrates Darwin Day 2006
Sunday service devoted to celebrating the principles that Darwin discovered, and the importance of science generally.
NB: Numerous Unitarian Universalist Fellowships throughout the United States celebrated Darwin Day in their Sunday services. Click here to find the individual UUFs that registered with the Darwin Day Celebration organization.
- Catholics Celebrate Darwin Day Article by by Melissa Scott Sinclair, Feb. 1, 2006: “Priest to Preach Darwin on “Evolution Sunday”. From the article: “One church in Richmond is going a step further and observing “Evolution Sunday” Feb. 12 — the 197th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. A mass and discussion about the coexistence of evolution and biblical beliefs is planned at the Gentle Shepherd Church of Antioch on Ellwood Avenue, a small independent Catholic congregation that combines traditional liturgical worship with modern theology.”
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Samples of library Events celebrating Darwin Day
- Tutt Library News
Tutt library at Colorado College devoted a display case on the second floor to an exhibit of books by and about Darwin, along with information about his life. A picture of their eye-catching display is shown on their website.
- Gumberg Library
Gumberg Library at Duquesne University participates in the Darwin Day Events on campus by preparing a special display of selected Darwin Material.
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Samples of International Darwin Day Websites
Online Full-Text Versions of Darwin’s Publications
Additional Darwin-Related Websites
Additional Evolution-Related Websites