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- 20 Years Ago
- 20th Greetings
- Robert Park Receives Klass Award
- Skeptic on the Loose!
- Brunch at Jackie’s with James Randi
- James Randi Receives Klass Award
- ESP
- Sir Isaac Newton
- “Expelled”
- From the Copy-right Office: Protecting your Elvis Sighting
Skeptical Eye, Volume 20-1 2009
How Statistics Are Misunderstood in the Media and Society
Saturday, Jan 10, 1:30 pm Public & FREE
Rebecca Goldin, Ph.D.
Statistical Assessment Service
National Science Foundation, Room 110
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA
Dr. Rebecca Goldin is Director of Research for the Statistical Assessment Service (stats.org), a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization affiliated with George Mason University. STATS’ mission is to improve the quality of scientific and statistical information in public discourse and to act as a resource for journalists and policy makers on scientific issues and controversies. STATS' work has been featured on NBC Nightly News, the News Hour with Jim Lehrer, and ABC's 20/20 - and in print by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, US News & World Report, New Scientist, New England Journal of Medicine, and many other publications.
Dr. Goldin is Associate Professor of Mathematical Sciences at George Mason University, and a member of the Science Policy Committee of the American Mathematical Society. She received her undergraduate degree from Harvard, and her PhD from MIT. She taught at University of Maryland as a National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow before joining George Mason in 2001. In 2007 she was the first recipient of the Ruth I. Michler Memorial Prize, which honors outstanding young women in the field of mathematics.
* NSF is one block south of the Ballston-Marymount University metro stop on the Orange Line. For most drivers the easiest route is to exit Route 66 onto Fairfax Dr. eastbound to N. Stuart Street. Enter the NSF building at the corner of N. Stuart Street and 9th St. N. Parking is available in the Ballston Common mall, in the NSF building, and at other area parking lots and garages. Metered parking is also available on the surrounding streets. (Map)
Understanding Creationism Sat Dec 13 at 1:30 pm
Saturday, Dec 13, 1:30 pm
Public & FREE
Mary McCutcheon, Ph.D., George Mason University (Retired)
National Science Foundation, Room 110
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA *
Why do so many people embrace creationism and reject evolution? What are their arguments? How does creationism promote community and address peoples' concerns about education, the rearing of good children, and the perceived dangerous consequences of evolutionary thinking?
Mary McCutcheon, Ph.D. (University of Arizona) taught in the Anthropology Department at George Mason University from 1988 to 2004. Prior to that she worked at the Smithsonian Institution in the Directorate of International Affairs. Earlier she taught at the University of Guam. She does research on land and marine resource ownership in the Palau Islands of Micronesia. Over the years, while teaching at GMU, and in retirement, she has refined this popular lecture, and related talks, to develop better understanding about the surge of religiosity in our society.
Autism & Vaccines:
How Bad Science Confuses the Press & Harms the Public
Saturday, Nov 8, 1:30 pm
Public & FREE (Flyer)
Steven Salzberg, Ph.D.,University of Maryland
Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
National Science Foundation, Room 110
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA *
Ten years ago, an article appeared in the medical journal The Lancet that suggested a link between autism and the vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella. The article was widely cited in the popular press in England, and vaccination rates began to fall. Further investigations revealed that the data in the study had been manipulated, and that the principal scientist had a major conflict of interest, with the result that 10 of his 12 co-authors repudiated the study's findings.
Numerous scientific studies since 1998, all done in response to the original Lancet article, have failed to find any link between autism and vaccines. Despite this, a few scientists and doctors continue to push the connection, often accompanying their claims with promises of "alternative" treatments for autism. The press keeps the issue alive by reporting "the controversy," often accompanying their reports with emotional testimonials from parents, including several celebrities. As a consequence of this publicity, vaccination rates are now falling in the United States, leading to alarming new outbreaks of diseases.
Scientists and skeptics need to act to quell the rumors and educate the public, so that vaccines, one of the greatest medical successes in history, remain an effective tool in our fight against disease.
Dr. Steven Salzberg is the Director of the Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology and the Horvitz Professor of Computer Science at the University of Maryland, College Park. From 1997 to 2005 he was at The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR) in Rockville, Maryland, where he had a leading role in projects to sequence the DNA of many pathogens, including the anthrax bacteria used in the 2001 attacks. He contributed computational tools and analysis to the Human Genome Project and to projects decoding the genomes of many other animals and plants. His group's computational tools are used around the world in a wide range of genome sequencing projects today. His current genomics projects include a large-scale study of the influenza virus, the development of new DNA sequencing technology, and studies of the bacteria living inside the human body. Dr. Salzberg received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Yale University and his Ph.D. from Harvard University. (home page)
* NSF is one block south of the Ballston-Marymount University metro stop on the Orange Line. For most drivers the easiest route is to exit Route 66 onto Fairfax Dr. eastbound to N. Stuart Street. Enter the NSF building at the corner of N. Stuart Street and 9th St. N. Parking is available in the Ballston Common mall, in the NSF building, and at other area parking lots and garages. Metered parking is also available on the surrounding streets. (Map)
Nov 12 UMD Bioscience Day Honors Charles Darwin
Celebrating Darwin at 200:
Evolution and 21st Century Science
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
University of Maryland, College Park
Information and Free Registration
Highlights include:
- Keynote lecture at 5:00 PM by Pulitzer Prize winning scientist E.O. Wilson
- Visit from the “ghost” of Charles Darwin
- Professor invention competition
- The "Future" of Evolution
- Colony collapse disorder in honeybees update
- Evolution - New Perspectives from the Physical Sciences
- Opportunities to network with colleagues
- Scientific poster competition
- Bioscience internship and job fair
Bioscience Research & Technology Review Day is a special event that features research talks, presentations, mini-symposia and demonstrations by university scientists. The program provides a unique opportunity for executives and professionals in industry and government to discover the most recent advances in bioscience and biotechnology at the University of Maryland; to promote the potential for academic-industry-government collaboration; to meet University scientists and interact with graduate student researchers; to network with colleagues who share an interest in the promotion of bioscience and the bioscience industry; and to recruit employees and investigate job opportunities.
Defining Normal: Sex and Gender Misconceptions
Saturday, Oct 11, 1:30 pm
Public & FREE -- No RSVP (Flyer)
Karen North (Handouts)
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD
(near Bethesda metro) FREE Parking (*)
Most people think that there are only two sexes, that these two sexes are easy to distinguish, and that gender is just another word for sex. None of these beliefs are true. This talk will explain the confusion, demonstrate the distinctions, and clarify the differences between Sexual Identity, Sexual Orientation, Gender Expression, and Gender Identity.
(*) Parking at the library is free, but you must enter your parking space number into a kiosk in the lobby. Parking is automatically validated for two hours -- no need to return to your car. Your parking validation is extended for two hours each time your parking space number is entered at the kiosk.
Image credit
Drinking Skeptically with NCAS Wed Nov 5 at 7 pm
Drinking Skeptically Comes to the DC Area!The first DC-area Drinking Skeptically event!
Wednesday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m
Jackie’s Restaurant (map)
8081 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD
http://www.jackiesrestaurant.com
What is Drinking Skeptically, you may ask? (You are a skeptic after all, questions are expected.) Drinking Skeptically is an informal social event designed to promote fellowship and networking among skeptics, critical thinkers, and like-minded individuals. It provides an opportunity for skeptics to talk, share ideas (and yes, drink) in a casual, relaxed atmosphere. We discuss the issues of the day and whatever else is on our minds. But most of all, we have fun while promoting skepticism, science, and rationality. Don’t drink? Don’t let that stop you from joining us! Some of the world’s most famous skeptics are teetotalers, and we are happy to have you! Remember that drinking skeptically means drinking responsibly. If there’s one thing science has taught us, it’s the effects of alcohol on the human body. http://www.drinkingskeptically.org
The Alien Grey: An Unnatural History
Saturday, Sep 13, 1:30 - 4 pm (Note New Time)
Public & FREE -- No RSVP (Flyer)
Richard Dengrove
U.S. Department of Agriculture Librarian
NCAS Member since 1987
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD
(near Bethesda metro) FREE Parking (*)
The Alien Grey is associated with flying saucers, and flying saucer advocates want to keep it that way. They wish for you to believe that it is an objective phenomenon and not a cultural artifact. However, the Alien Grey has had another life – in novels, short stories, movies and TV. Also, there is more to this talk than the title suggests: I am not going to talk only about the Alien Grey but also the Future Man Grey and the MadScientist Grey. Each one is a kissing cousin of the others. Greys can come from under the ground as well. What the Grey does is try to answer questions often touted as deeply philosophical. However, I suspect the Grey strikes a chord in our emotions, and the answers the Grey gives as popular art and pulp are more satisfying than any philosophical tome.
(*) Parking at the library is free, but you must enter your parking space number into a kiosk in the lobby. Parking is automatically validated for two hours -- no need to return to your car. Your parking validation is extended for two hours each time your parking space number is entered at the kiosk.
NCAS Public Lectures Will Resume in September
Have a pleasant Summer and meanwhile enjoy our website, including our improved NCAS Bibliographies section.
May 10: Global Warming & Climate Change --
The Science Basis & Observations on Current Politics
Saturday, May 102 - 4 pm Public & Free
No RSVP
Stuart Jordan, Ph.D.
Emeritus senior staff scientist,
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD (map)
Near Bethesda metro (directions)
(image credit epa.gov)
Apr 18 Framing Science: Conflict & Consensus in Public Communication
Friday, April 18, 1 - 3 pm (arrive by 12:45 pm)Public & Free
Easy Prior Registration Extended to April 17 (*)
Matthew Nisbet, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, School of Communication,
American University
National Science Foundation, Room 375 (*)
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA
(map)
Over the coming decades, as society faces major collective choices on issues such as climate change, biomedical research, and nanotechnology, scientists and their organizations will need to work together with the public to formulate effective policies and to resolve disputes. A major challenge for scientists will be to craft communication efforts that are sensitive to how diverse audiences process messages, but also to the way science is portrayed across types of media. In these efforts, scientists should adopt a language that emphasizes shared values and has broad appeal, avoiding the pitfall of seeming to condescend to fellow citizens or alienating them by attacking their beliefs. Part of this process includes "framing" an issue in ways that remain true to the science but that make the issue more personally meaningful, thereby potentially sparking greater interest or acceptance.
Matthew C. Nisbet, Ph.D. is Assistant Professor in the School of Communication at American University. As a social scientist he studies the nature and impacts of strategic communication in policy debates. His current work focuses on scientific and environmental controversies, examining the interactions between experts, journalists, and various publics. In this research, Nisbet examines how news coverage reflects and shapes policy, how strategists try to mold public opinion, and how citizens make sense of controversies.
NSF is one block south of the Ballston-Marymount University metro stop on the Orange Line. For most drivers, Route 66 to Fairfax Dr. to Stuart Dr is the easiest route. Parking is available in the Ballston Common mall, in the NSF building, and at other area parking lots and garages. Metered parking is also available on the surrounding streets.
(*) Easy Prior Registration For This Event
Non-NSF employees must register in advance for a guest badge for this event. By April 17, send an email to ncas-april18@ncas.org (or call 301 587-3827) giving the first and last name of each attendee and optionally their organizational affiliation for their guest badge. We will try to accommodate walk-in registration arriving before 12:45 pm but we will need to give priority to those with prior registrations arriving by 12:45 pm.
Enter the NSF building at the corner of 9th St. N and N Stuart Streets by 12:45 pm and show a photo ID to pickup your guest badge; then proceed past security to Room 375 for seating by 1 pm.
Mar 8 The Lingering Death of Superstition
Saturday, March 8, 2 - 4 pm (Flyer)Public & Free
Robert L. Park, Ph.D.
Former University of Maryland Physics Department Chair
National Science Foundation, Room 110
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA
Map
At this event, Professor Park will receive the 2008 NCAS Philip J. Klass Award for his outstanding contributions in promoting critical thinking and scientific understanding.
There was a total eclipse of the Sun on May 28, 585 B.C. What distinguished this particular occultation of the Sun by the Moon was that it had been predicted. The discovery of "The Law of Cause and Effect" by Thales of Melitus is often taken as the birth of science. It should also have marked the death of superstition. Why it did not is the subject of this talk.
Robert L. Park is a professor of physics and former chair of the Department of Physics at the University of Maryland. He divides his time between the University and the Washington, DC office of the American Physical Society, which he opened in 1982.
Author of more than a hundred technical papers on the structure and properties of single-crystal surfaces, Professor Park now devotes himself to helping the public distinguish genuine scientific advances from foolish and fraudulent claims. A frequent guest on news programs, he posts "What's New, "a provocative and widely-read weekly column on the internet (www.bobpark.org), and is the author of Voodoo Science: the Road from Foolishness to Fraud.
NSF is one block south of the Ballston-Marymount University metro stop on the Orange Line. For most drivers, Route 66 to Fairfax Dr. to Stuart Dr is the easiest route. Enter NSF from the corner of 9th St. N and N Stuart Streets. Room 110 is on the left before the entry guard -- you do not need to go through NSF security. Parking is available in the Ballston Common mall, in the NSF building, and at other area parking lots and garages. Metered parking is also available on the surrounding streets. (NSF Visitor Info)
Feb 9 Postmodernism vs. Science vs. Fundamentalism
Saturday, February 9, 2 - 4 pm
Public & FREE
Stephen Brush, D. Phil.
National Science Foundation, Room 110
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA
map
flyer
Was Thomas Kuhn a social constructionist? Who won the Science Wars, and was the victory the result of a "Trojan Horse" trick? (Think: Stephen Colbert with a Ph.D. in physics.)
In the last quarter of the 20th century, two movements attacked science. Postmodernism, fashionable in academic humanities departments, inspired the doctrine of "social construction of scientific knowledge" (hereafter "social con"), advocated by some sociologists and historians of science. The recrudescence of religious fundamentalism supported the revival of creationism, which opposed and tried to expel from public schools the widely-accepted scientific theories of biological evolution, plate tectonics, and Big Bang cosmology. Science, still a bastion of objectivity in understanding the world, had to fend off attacks from both the left (postmodernism) and the right (fundamentalism).
The question of whether scientists can discover true facts about the world that are independent of their own social environment, or whether all their knowledge is socially constructed, was the cause of the "Science Wars" of the 1990s.
Scientists, who strongly rejected social con, did not notice that at least two widely-accepted scientific facts were indeed socially constructed, as can easily be shown by looking at their history. Moreover, there is some similarity between social con and the Copenhagen Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, at least if you know something about baseball.
Stephen Brush is a professor (emeritus) of the History of Science at the University of Maryland, College Park. He was originally educated as a theoretical physicist and did research on topics such as the solidification of an electron gas ("plasma") at low temperatures and high densities. He contributed to the Harvard Project Physics Course for high schools, using the historical approach. He came to the University of Maryland in 1968 to initiate a program in history of science. His current research is a study of reasons why scientists in different fields accept (or reject) new theories.
NSF is one block south of Ballston-Marymount University metro stop Orange Line. For most drivers, Route 66 to Fairfax Dr. to Stuart Dr is the easiest route. Enter NSF from the corner of 9th N and N Stuart Streets. Room 110 is on the left before the entry guard -- you will not need to go through NSF security. Parking is available in the Ballston Common mall, in the NSF building, and at other area parking lots and garages. Metered parking is also available on the surrounding streets. NSF Visitor Information