Evans to teach EXCEL class on the origins of life
Huntington, Ind.-According to British scientist Richard Dawkins, "Father Christmas and the Tooth Fairy are part of the charm of childhood. So is God. Some of us grow out of all three."
On the other hand, over 100 scientists, including five-time Nobel-prize nominee Fritz Schaefer and Huntington College biology professor Bruce Evans, have endorsed the statement, "I am skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged."
Dr. Evans will discuss the origins of life along with thoughts as to why the whole universe seems to be astonishingly fine-tuned in a new Gateway course offered by the EXCEL Program at Huntington College. Are You a Cosmic Accident? will run for four Thursdays starting on June 3, and ending on June 24.
Topics to be discussed in the class will include Big Bang cosmology, Superstring theory, origins of life, fine-tuning of the universe, evolution and intelligent design. The class is open to the public, and the last day of registration is May 21.
Evans earned his bachelor's degree in biology from The University of Charleston in West Virginia in 1985, and went on to obtain a Ph.D. in Neurobiology in 1991, from Emory University in Atlanta. While in graduate school, he spent time at the Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods Hole, Mass., taking a course on the neural basis of behavior.
Evans is also interested in the emerging field of Intelligent Design Theory and attended the Nature of Nature conference at Baylor University, as well as a major design conference at Yale in 2000. Evans has presented his research findings at Society for Neuroscience and American Society of Zoologists meetings. He has published research articles in Peptides, Cell and Tissue Research, and Journal of Experimental Biology. Evans is a member of the Indiana Academy of Science, Past-president of the Indiana College Biology Teachers Association and faculty member of the Project Kaleidoscope for the 21st Century.
For more information on the EXCEL program, visit www.huntington.edu/excel or contact by phone at (260) 359-4161 or by e-mail at excel@huntington.edu.
Huntington College is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 60 academic concentrations. USNews & World Report ranks Huntington among the top comprehensive colleges in the Midwest. Founded in 1897 by the Church of the United Brethren in Christ, Huntington College is located on a contemporary, lakeside campus in Huntington, Indiana. The College is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).
