Celebrating Darwin's Legacy symposium at UNL March 26-28

"Celebrating Darwin's Legacy" is the theme of the Center for Great Plains Studies' 35th interdisciplinary symposium March 26-28 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The symposium will bring a diverse group of scholars to UNL in recognition of the bicentennial anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of his "Origin of Species."

The conference will open March 26 at the Great Plains Art Museum, 1155 Q St., with a 6 p.m. reception and keynote talk by Randy Moore. Moore is the H.T. Morse-alumni distinguished teaching professor of biology at the University of Minnesota. Moore will speak on "The Creationist Down the Hall: The Extent and Impact of Teaching Evolution and Creationism in Public Schools." He is the co-author of "Evolution 101." Moore's talk starts at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

The conference continues March 27 at the Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., with sessions from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Speakers include Jeremy Vetter, assistant professor of environmental history and history of sciences at Dickinson College; Donald Worster, Hall distinguished professor of American history at the University of Kansas; Eileen Hebets, assistant professor of biological sciences at UNL; James Van Etten, William B. Allington distinguished professor of plant pathology at UNL; and Jeffrey A. French, Varner professor of psychology and biology at UNO.

Vetter will speak on "Putting Darwin to Work: The Transformation of Scientific Field Practice in American Regions, 1809-2009." Worster, author of "Nature's Economy: A History of Ecological Ideas," will speak on "Darwin in the Grasslands: Evolution and History."

"Exploring the Secret Lives of Spiders: From Courtship to Cannibalism" is the title of Hebets' talk, which is followed by Van Etten's presentation on "Can Huge Viruses Tell Us Something about Evolution?" French will speak on "Evolution and the Family: The Nexus of Social and Natural Sciences."

The evening of March 27, David Quammen, Wallace Stegner professor in western American studies at Montana State University, will present a second keynote lecture on "Charles Darwin: The Secret Life of a Cautious Revolutionary." Quammen is the author of "The Reluctant Mr. Darwin: An Intimate Portrait of Charles Darwin and the Making of His Theory of Evolution." His talk starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Nebraska Union and is free and open to the public.

The conference ends March 28 with lectures at the Nebraska Union on Darwinian evolution in poetry and literature. Speakers from UNL include Laura White, associate professor of English; John Janovy Jr., Paula and D.B. Varner professor of biological sciences; and Thomas Gannon, assistant professor of English and Ethnic Studies. Quammen will close the conference with a talk on "Boswell in the Jungle: A Journalist Stalks the Wily Biologist."

The conference is open to everyone, but advanced registration is recommended because of limited seating. Complete conference registration is $35 before March 12. The fee includes the Friday and Saturday lectures, a Friday evening reception at the University of Nebraska State Museum in Morrill Hall, and conference materials. There is a reduced rate for students. To register for the conference or for additional information, visit www.unl.edu/plains or contact the UNL Center for Great Plains Studies at (402) 472-3082. The Moore and Quammen lectures are free and open to the public.

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Holiday Inn Downtown, 141 N. Ninth St., (402) 475-4011. Reservations are due by March 4.

Symposium sponsors include the Center for Great Plains Studies, Nebraska Humanities Council, Office of the Chancellor, Office of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Nebraska Foundation, College of Arts and Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska State Museum, UNL departments of History, English, Psychology and Geosciences, and Honors Program, and KZUM 89.3 FM; and with participation from the UNL departments of Anthropology, Classics and Religious Studies, Mathematics, and the School of Natural Resources.

In conjunction with the symposium, the Great Plains Art Museum is showing an exhibition, "Celebrating Darwin's Legacy: Evolution in the Galapagos Islands and the Great Plains," Feb. 12 to March 29. Paul A. Johnsgard, Foundation professor emeritus of biological sciences at UNL, is guest curator for the show. The museum is free and open to the public 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:30-5 p.m. Sundays (closed Mondays, holiday weekends and between exhibitions). For more information, contact the museum at (402) 472-6220 or visit www.unl.edu/plains.