UCMP to host a conference
and a convention

National Conference on the Teaching of Evolution coming this fall

There is, quite rightfully, increased concern expressed by scientific and educational professional organizations following what is now just referred to as “the events in Kansas.” Following discussions with representatives of several such societies, Dave Lindberg and Judy Scotchmoor traveled to Washington DC to talk with a group of program officers of the National Science Foundation, seeking support for a national meeting to discuss these concerns. A formal proposal was written and accepted. As a result, we are pleased to announce that a National Conference on the Teaching of Evolution will be held in Berkeley next fall. The meeting is hosted by the University of California Museum of Paleontology in conjunction with the Paleontological Society, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Proceedings of the meeting will be published by the Geological Society of America.
The purpose of the meeting is to bring together a broad representation of scientific, educational, and other interested professional organizations to improve the quality of, and accessibility to materials that support the teaching of evolution. The focus of the meeting will be to develop a collaborative action plan to ensure that evolutionary principles are taught in pre-college, college, and teacher-preparation classrooms as well as in the informal science environment.
We are grateful to the National Science Foundation for their support and look forward to this very important and timely meeting.
The Steering Committee: Irene Eckstrand (SSE), Sam Donovan (SSE and BioQUEST), David Lindberg (UCMP), Cathleen May (GSA), Judy Scotchmoor (SVP and UCMP), and Dale Springer (PS).

  NAPC 2001: The North American Paleontological Convention

NAPC logo Paleontologists from North America and around the world will converge on Berkeley in June of next year for the 7th North American Paleontological Convention. Sponsored by the Association of North American Paleontological Societies (ANAPS) and hosted by UCMP, the convention will be held June 26 through July 1, 2001 at the Clark Kerr Campus. The meeting will be organized into theme and volunteer sessions, with workshops, field trips, special programs for K-16 educators and tourist excursions. There will also be programs for the general public.
The focus of this meeting will be on integrative approaches that use multiple lines of evidence to test hypotheses and solve complex problems in the history of life; that apply paleontological information to other fields; and that use methods and data from other fields to answer questions in paleontology.
Suggested symposia topics include: Changing perspectives of Tertiary paleobotany in North America; Spatial and temporal resolution of the fossil record; Artificial and real life: the origin and evolution of complex systems; Below the sediment-water interface: new paradigms in preservation; New interpretations of complex trace fossils; and Evolutionary history of plankton.
All information related to NAPC, including registration, housing and abstract submission information, will be posted on the NAPC web site so be sure to check it periodically for the latest program updates. Information can also be obtained by sending an e-mail or by writing to UCMP.

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May, 2000