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2024 W. Main Street, Suite A200
Durham, NC 27705-4667
Tel: (919) 668-4551
Fax: (919) 668-9198
info@nescent.org

 

Evolution 2013: A Workshop for Educators

 

 

This workshop is being jointly sponsored, organized and conducted by

The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) and

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS)

 

Why do we study evolution? Why do we teach it?  How can we teach it more effectively and engagingly?  How can we draw on cutting edge research in evolution to make it more relevant and exciting to our students?  How can we overcome some of the common obstacles and pitfalls to make teaching and learning evolution more successful and rewarding?

Aimed at instructors at the high school level, this workshop is designed to address all of those questions by providing an overview of key evolutionary concepts and mechanisms, and exploring cutting-edge topics in evolutionary science.  Evolutionary biologists and educators at the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (NCMNS) will present topics with an emphasis on recent developments and practical applications. The scientific content will be supported by hands on classroom activities, pedagogy demonstrations and information about teaching resources.  The workshop will include an educational field trip to tour the Duke Lemur Center, one of the foremost prosimian research centers in the world. 

All participants will receive a collection of evolution teaching resources and Continuing Education credits.

 

There is no registration fee, and all participants will receive a small daily stipend to cover transportation and meals.

 

TO APPLY FOR THIS WORKSHOP, CLICK HERE

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE IS TUESDAY, APRIL 30th.  NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE SENT OUT BY FRIDAY, MAY 3rd.

 

 

Date

 

June 17-19, 2013

 

 

Location

 

June 17th - North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC

June 18th - NESCent (The National Evolutionary Synthesis Center), Durham, NC

June 19th - North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC

 

Workshop Leaders

Jory Weintraub - Dr. Weintraub is the Asst. Director of Education & Outreach at NESCent.  He received his BS in Biochemistry/Cell Biology from the University of California at San Diego, and his Ph.D. in Immunology from UNC Chapel Hill, followed by an NSF-funded postdoctoral fellowship in Science Education.  He taught undergraduate biology for several years at UNC, as well as at several historically minority universities throughout North Carolina.  His areas of focus include faculty development, minority outreach, undergraduate curriculum development and instruction, and instructional technology.

Robin Bulleri – Mrs. Bulleri teaches Biology and AP Biology at Carrboro High School.  She earned a B.S. and M.Ed. from Boston University, and has taught in Massachusetts and North Carolina for 13 years.  She developed this workshop as part of the Kenan Fellows Program, a competitive fellowship that fosters leadership and development in teachers.  Mrs. Bulleri has received numerous grants, developed curricula, and presented at conferences.

Jason Cryan– Dr. Cryan is the Deputy Museum Director for Research & Collections at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. He received his BA in Zoology from the University of Vermont and his MS and Ph.D. in Entomology from North Carolina State University. Prior to assuming his position at the NCMNS, he was a research scientist at the New York State Museum (Albany, NY) where he directed research in their DNA Sequencing Laboratory. Jason’s research focuses on evolutionary investigations of a group of plant-feeding insects that includes icons of tropical biodiversity as well as pests of worldwide economic and agricultural importance (including pests of rice, corn, and sugarcane).

 

 

TO APPLY FOR THIS WORKSHOP, CLICK HERE

 

Schedule

Monday, June 17th (NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC)

 

9:00 AM            Welcome, Goals of Workshop, Introductions (Jory, Robin, Jason)

 

9:45 AM            Importance of teaching evolution as a unifying concept in biology; NC Essential Standards and evolution; Changes in the AP Biology curriculum (Robin)

 

 10:00 AM         Geologic Time and Paleontology, Part 1 (Dan Ksepka, NESCent Postdoc and NCMNS Research Associate)

 

10:45 AM          Break

 

11:00 AM          Geologic Time and Paleontology, Part 2 (Dan, Jory)

 

11:45 AM          Lunch

 

1:00 PM             Systematics, Tree Thinking, Phylogenetics (Jory)

 

2:00 PM             Driving Forces of Evolution: Mutation, Natural Selection, Genetic Drift, Gene Flow (Jory)

 

2:45 PM             Break

 

3:00 PM             NCMNS/NRC Tour - Using Exhibits to Teach Evolution (NCMNS/NRC Staff, Robin)

 

4:30 PM             Wrap-Up, Questions/Comments

 

 

Tuesday, June 18th (NESCent, Durham, NC)

 

 

8:30 AM            Arrival at NESCent (Durham)

 

9:00 AM            Teaching Evolution Using Case Studies (Jory)

 

9:30 AM            Evidence for Evolution (Robin)

 

10:00 AM          Biodiversity and Biogeography (Robin)

 

10:45 AM          Travel to Duke Lemur Center

 

11:00 AM          Tour DLC

 

12:00 PM           Pizza Lunch at DLC

 

1:30 PM             Natural Selection vs. Sexual Selection (Jory, Jason)

 

2:30 PM             Hominid Evolution (Robin)

 

3:15 PM             Break

 

3:30 PM             Molecular Evolution (Josh Martin, NESCent Postdoc)

 

4:15 PM             Wrap-Up, Questions/Comments

 

 

Wednesday, June 19th (NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, NC)

 

 

8:30 AM            Arrive at NRC/Daily Planet Café

 

9:00 AM            Common Misconceptions of Evolution (Jason)

 

10:00 AM          Online/Computer-Based Simulations of Evolution (Robin)

 

10:30 AM          Break

 

10:45 AM          Group Work - Developing Evolution Lessons Using NCMNS/NRC Exhibits (all)

 

11:45 AM          Lunch

 

1:00 PM             Group Work - Developing Evolution Lessons Using NCMNS/NRC Exhibits (all)

 

2:00 PM             DNA Sequencing Technology and its Applications in Evolution Research (Dr. Julie Urban, Asst. Director, NCMNS/NRC Genomics Lab)

 

2:45 PM             Break

 

3:00 PM             Group Presentations - Evolution Lessons Using NCMNS/NRC Exhibits (all)

 

4:15 PM             Wrap-up, Workshop Evaluation, Hand out CEU Certificates

 

 

TO APPLY FOR THIS WORKSHOP, CLICK HERE

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