Dr. Kevin Padian, a key scientific witness for the winning plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to teaching evolution, will present the keynote address at UALR’s Darwin Day Conference Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) auditorium.

The conference is part of a weekend of free, public activities as central Arkansas celebrates the work of the renowned scientist and author of “The Origin of Species.”

The three-day celebration will include talks at the Clinton School of Public Service, an art contest and reception at Canvas Community at 1111 West Seventh St. in Little Rock, tours of the UALR science labs, hands-on fossil, mineral, and dinosaur activities presented by UALR scientists and the Museum of Discovery, the Darwin Day Conference at UALR’s Engineering and Information Science Building, Sunday films – “Creation” and “Darwin: the Life and Legacy” – at UALR’s Dickinson Hall Auditorium, and hands-on activities devoted to Darwin’s work at the Mid-America Science Museum in Hot Springs.

“The main purpose of this event is to celebrate Charles Darwin’s achievements and examine their effects on society today,” said Anna Makogonova, the event’s coordinator. “By exploring the transformation of Darwin’s ideas over the past 150 years, participants will increase their awareness of evolutionary science, and learn how evidence-based decision-making can positively influence the well-being of all.”

Padian, professor of integrative biology and curator of paleontology at the University of California, Berkeley, and president of the National Center for Science Education, will discuss “Lessons from the 2005 Intelligent Design Trial in Dover, Pa.” at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10, in Sturgis Hall in the Clinton School of Public Service.

The keynote address, “What Darwin Said (And Did Not Say),” will be at 1:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at UALR’s EIT auditorium.

Padian was one of seven evolutionary biologists featured in the November 2007 Public Broadcasting System’s NOVA episode, “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial,” focused entirely on the 2005 Kitzmiller v. Dover trial that ruled against the teaching of intelligent design in public schools.

He was one of 10 Berkeley faculty members named as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Padian was named fellow “for distinguished contributions to the study of the vertebrate evolutionary adaptations and especially for his leadership in science education.”

Arkansas Darwin Day is an annual celebration that takes place at many universities, museums, and community organizations across the world. This event is made possible by the partnership of the following entities:

• Clinton School of Public Service
• UALR
• Arkansas Museum of Discovery
• Mid-America Science Museum
• University of Central Arkansas
• Hendrix College
• Arkansas Society of Freethinkers
• Secular Student Alliance

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Makogonova, contact her at 501-396-9660 or email Info@ArkansasDarwinDay.org. A schedule of events can be found at arkansasdarwinday.org.