CWU To Host Fifth Annual Darwin Week Celebration

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - An exploration of the relationship between science and religion is the focus of this year's "Darwin Week" events at Central Washington University. The fifth annual university celebration, including a series of talks and forums on the Ellensburg campus from February 10 to 17, is being held in conjunction with other similar events around the world in commemoration of Charles Darwin's 197th birthday on Feb. 12.

"The theme of this year's event is beautifully expressed by Darwin's quote "There is grandeur in this view of life," says Dr. Andy Piacsek, CWU physics professor and event co-coordinator.

The first presentation will be by Dr. Alexander Glass, CWU geological sciences professor, who will discuss "A Young Earth? A Geologist Looks at the Creation-Evolution Debate." It's slated for Friday, Feb. 10, at noon in Black 152.

Dr. Bruce Palmquist, CWU physics professor, will present the talk, "Science and Religion: Friends or Foes?" Monday, Feb. 13, at 4 p.m. in Science Building 101.

Dr. Jay Bachrach, CWU philosophy professor, will discuss "Intelligent Design Theory - Is it Science?" Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 4 p.m. also in Science Building 101.

Piacsek will lead the presentation, "The Age of the Cosmos" Wednesday, Feb. 15, at noon in Black 152. Also on Wednesday, Dr. Carey Gazis, CWU geological sciences professor, will talk about "The Age of the Earth" at 4 p.m. in Science Building 101, and Glass will lead a discussion, open to CWU students only, titled "Evolution, Religion, and You" at 7 p.m. in Kamola Hall.

Dr. Steven Verhey, CWU biological sciences professor, will explain "Why Teaching Creationism in College Science Classes is Good for Science" on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 4 p.m. in Science Building 101. Professors Glass and Piacsek will guide a public forum following the video presentation, "Evolution - What About God?" at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Samuelson Union Building Pit.

Darwin Week events conclude when Glass makes a final presentation "Navigating the Minefield - Can Evolution Be Taught Without the Controversy?" Friday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m. in Science Building 101.

Celebrations of the life and work of Charles Darwin, on the occasion of his birthday, have been held in Australia, Europe and the Americas for more than a decade. According to officials with the national Darwin Day program, the long-term goal is to establish a global celebration in 2009, the bicentennial of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his "The Origin of Species."

CWU Darwin Week events are sponsored by the departments of geological sciences and physics, and the university's science honors research program.

For more information, or for persons of disability to arrange for reasonable accommodation, call (509) 963-2192, or (for the hearing impaired) TDD (509) 963-2143.

Contact: Dr. Alex Glass (509-963-2192/fax 509-963-2821/e-mail: glassa@geology.cwu.edu)

Public Relations and Marketing: (509) 963-1493