Yale Celebrates Darwin

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150 year anniversary of publication of his Origin of the Species, Yale has created a webportal, Yale Celebrates Darwin.

In celebration of the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150 year anniversary of publication of his Origin of the Species, Yale has created a webportal, Yale Celebrates Darwin.

The portal provides links to information about all the related events on campus— from the “birthday parties” planned in February to lectures, exhibits and family-participation programs planned throughout the year. 

The webportal will also include links for access to press releases and netcasts on recent research and profiles of Yale faculty experts such as Derek Briggs, Director of the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, Richard Prum, Chair of the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Michael Donoghue, Past-Director of the Peabody Museum, who are available to speak on issues relevant to evolution.

Among the featured events during the year:

  • The libraries of Yale will host exhibits beginning February 1 honoring Darwin’s life, and featuring his letters to James Dwight Dana; books written by Charles Darwin and their recent impact; the Christian response to Darwin; and Darwin and music.
  • The Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Lecture Series, In the Company of Scholars, will present “Catalytic RNA Molecules and the Origins of Biodiversity” given by Anna Pyle, the William Edward Gilbert Professor of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry, on February 9.
  • Yale’s Peabody Museum of Natural History kicks off their events on February 12 with a “Birthday cake” and a lecture, “The ‘Discovery’ of the Gorilla and How it Shook the World” given by Robert McCracken Peck of the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia. An exhibit, “Darwin: 150 years of Evolutionary Thinking” opens April 25 and numerous participatory events and fill out the year.
  • The Whitney Humanities Center will devote their Shulman Lectures in Science and the Humanities to honor “Darwin.and Darwinism” through the Spring.
  • The Yale Center for British Art will host lectures, performances and a major exhibition throughout the spring beginning with an opening lecture — “The Backbone Shiver: Darwin and the Arts” — February 11, for the exhibit “Endless Forms,” which opens on February 12 highlighting the significance of visual traditions for Darwin and his influence on nineteenth and twentieth century artists.

Visit http://opa.yale.edu/sp/darwin frequently for updates. Many events will be videotaped and available for later viewing through the portal.

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Media Contact

Janet Rettig Emanuel: janet.emanuel@yale.edu, 203-432-2157