Towson Professor To Address Creation/Evolution Controversy In Public Education

Erik Scully, professor of biology at Towson University, gave a talk on the creation/evolution controversy in public education and the concept of intelligent design on March 24th, at Old Dominion University. This talk was sponsored by Science and Reason in Hampton Roads and the ODU biological sciences department.

While evolutionary biology is the foundation of the contemporary biological sciences, its role in K-12 education has been attacked repeatedly. These attacks are motivated by perceived conflicts between evolution and religious doctrine. Because restricting the teaching of evolution on religious grounds would be unconstitutional, activists have attempted to have various forms of creation science included in the curriculum. The most recent efforts have advocated the inclusion of the concept of intelligent design.

Scully teaches courses in evolution, marine biology and population biology. Active in the creation/evolution controversy since 1978, he is currently the Maryland liaison for the National Center for Science Education. His current research includes developing bioassay techniques for stress in reef-building corals, studying terrestrial isopods as a model system of animal aggregations and ecosystem network analysis.

Science and Reason in Hampton Roads is an organization devoted to the critical examination of dubious or extraordinary claims. It has organized haunted house investigations, superstition celebrations and talks on topics from UFOs to alternative medicine.

For more information call 683-5803 or e-mail weinstei@physics.odu.edu Membership in SRHR is open to everyone.

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