VCU to Host Annual Darwin Day

By Leila Ugincius

Virginia Commonwealth University hosts a celebration of the life of Charles Darwin, known to many as the father of evolutionary biology, during VCU’s annual Darwin Day event this week.

The event will be held Friday, Feb. 8, at 11 a.m. in the Student Commons Commonwealth Ballroom, 907 Floyd Ave. Organizers include VCU’s Graduate Organization of Biology Students, the Graduate Student Association, the Department of Biology in the College of Humanities and Sciences and VCU Life Sciences.

This year’s speaker is Scott Edwards, Ph.D., author and educator at the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. Edwards will discuss "From Reptiles to Dinosaurs to Birds: A View from the Genome."

Edwards moved to Harvard University in late 2003 as a professor of organismic and evolutionary biology and a curator of ornithology in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, where he continues efforts to unite genomics and natural history and involve students at all levels.

Edwards’ current major interests include multilocus phylogeography and speciation in birds; genome evolution during the transition from reptiles to birds; host-pathogen interactions (such as the house finch-Mycoplasma epizootic) and the evolutionary consequences of disease outbreaks; and statistical models for inferring multilocus phylogenies and historical demography.

“Dr. Edwards has had a highly successful career as an educator and research scientist and has been actively committed to enhancing student diversity in the environmental and evolutionary sciences," said Serena Caplins, president of the Graduate Organization of Biology Students. "We are extremely thrilled that he will be speaking to the VCU community to showcase the current field of evolutionary biology and honor the legacy of Charles Darwin.”

The Graduate Organization of Biology Students provides graduate students with a forum to address needs and concerns in biology and also aims to integrate disciplines of biology through educational and recreational events with students and faculty.

The VCU Darwin Day event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.

For more information, contact event organizers Serena Caplins, caplinssa@vcu.edu, or Jaimie L. Gillespie, gillespiejl@vcu.edu.