Listen to an interview (QuickTime) with George Weiblen about the upcoming conference on evolution.
GEORGE WEIBLEN: The science of evolution is often misunderstood by the public, especially as it relates to religion. Evolution 2008 is an important opportunity for biologists to explain what our science is and what it isn’t.
STEPHANIE XENOS: That’s George Weiblen, an associate professor in the College of Biological Sciences department of plant biology, and lead organizer of this year’s Evolution 2008 conference, which will be held on the University of Minnesota’s East Bank campus June 20–24.
GEORGE WEIBLEN: I’m the lead organizer for Evolution 2008, which is the world’s largest academic conference on the study of evolution. It is an opportunity for researchers, faculty, graduate students and undergraduates to come together and share what’s hot in evolution.
STEPHANIE XENOS: Evolution is a thread running through our everyday lives in ways not often appreciated, says Weiblen. One of the goals of Evolution 2008 is to make those connections clearer and spotlight the huge strides being made in the discipline.
GEORGE WEIBLEN: This is a particularly exciting time for evolutionary biology. We have technical advances in computing power as well as molecular techniques that have enabled us to address questions that we haven’t been able to answer before. We’re understanding the deep history of life as well as the role that biological processes play in shaping the world around us today. Evolution isn’t just something that just happened yesterday, but is ongoing. For example, the evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a major concern in human health. Many people don’t know the reason why a doctor insists that you finish your antibiotics even though you might feel better after a couple of days. The explanation has to do with evolution. Pesticide resistance in pests of major crops—that’s an evolutionary problem. Lyme disease, is an evolutionary problem and it is through the study of what has happened in the past, but also the understanding of the processes that shape biodiversity that Evolution 2008 is all about.
STEPHANIE XENOS: The conference is expected to draw 1200–1400 participants who will have a chance to attend scientific talks, symposia, poster sessions and workshops, including one geared specifically to K-12 educators, called Evolution 101. Members of the public can get in on the act too. New York Times’ science writer Olivia Judson will deliver a free lecture on the subject of her best-selling book, Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation: The Complete Guide to the Evolutionary Biology of Sex.
GEORGE WEIBLEN: It’s a hilarious romp through the animal kingdom written from the perspective of a sex advice columnist, with different species writing in with questions and concerns. The response from Dr. Tatiana is an explanation—an evolutionary explanation—for why things are the way they are. For instance, the male preying mantis writes in asking what he should do, he’s attracted to his mate but is afraid that she’ll bite his head off if they have sex. Dr. Tatiana explains that although this is indeed true—that the male will lose his head in copulation with the female preying mantis—the energy and resources that the male will provide to his offspring is the greatest gift that he could give. And so, Dr. Tatiana’s advice is to relax, enjoy the moment and rest assured that he’s doing his part to ensure the success of his offspring.
STEPHANIE XENOS: Judson will speak at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 22 at Ted Mann Theatre.
