News Release| Darwin Now gift exhibition; Cal State L.A.

May 4, 2010

Media Advisory: Thursday, May 6, 11:45 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

‘Darwin Now’ explores naturalist on his bicentennial, revisits ‘Origin of Species’ on its 150th

Cal State L.A.’s La Kretz Hall new home for
British Council’s ‘Tree of Life,’ other exhibition panels

Note to editors and news directors: Charles Darwin influenced literature, politics, social sciences, travel, geography and, most notably, biology. Several Cal State L.A. scholars will be available Thursday to discuss how Darwin’s theory comes up in their courses:

Professor Patrick Krug of Biological Sciences

Professor Paul Narguizian of Biological Sciences

Professor Lauri Ramey of English

Professor Carlos Robles of Biological Sciences

Los Angeles, CA – “Darwin Now” – an eight-panel (each double-sided) exhibition that highlights the life and scientific impact of Charles Darwin – will be welcomed to its new home at Cal State L.A.’s La Kretz Hall Thursday, May 6.

Picture of the Darwin Now exhibit at La Kretz Hall.

The exhibit, which the University has received from the British Council, explores the famed naturalist’s groundbreaking theories of species origin and the relevance of his ideas today. The exhibit displays contemporary reactions to Darwin’s theories; it illustrates how advances in many fields – such as biology, geology and economics – have been influenced by his thinking; and it examines the work of several United Kingdom-based researchers who are pushing the boundaries of evolutionary science.

Printed exhibit catalogues will be distributed to all reception attendees. As part of the exhibit, an iconic “Tree of Life” is available for visitors’ thoughts and feedback on the exhibition.

Thursday’s formal opening begins at 11:45 a.m.  A short program follows at 12:30 p.m. with brief remarks from the following:

Sharon Memis, Director, British Council USA;

Simon Gammell, West Coast Director, British Council USA; and

James P. Henderson, Dean, College of Natural and Social Sciences at Cal State L.A.

According to Ramey, the exhibition offers opportunities for various interdisciplinary activities about Darwin and his impact.

The former-travelling exhibit was produced by the British Council to commemorate Darwin’s 200th birthday (he was born Feb. 12, 1809 – the same day as Abraham Lincoln) and the 150th anniversary of the publishing of his most renowned work, On the Origin of Species. Cal State L.A. will be the last stop for “Darwin Now,” expected to be on display until December 2011. The British Council is donating the panels to the University for potential use in other exhibits and educational projects. For upcoming programming related to the exhibit, go to http://darwin.britishcouncil.org/posts.

A multidisciplinary Darwinian bit of trivia: The great-granddaughter of Charles Darwin is the Oxford poet Ruth Padel, who has written a poetry sequence based on the correspondence of her grandparents Charles and Emma. (Related audio-visual programming is available at website noted below.)

The La Kretz Hall is the first wing of the Wallis Annenberg Integrated Sciences Complex at Cal State L.A. For campus map and directions, go to www.calstatela.edu/univ/maps/cslamap.php. Admission to the exhibit is free to the public.

For educational resources corresponding to the Darwin Now exhibit, go to darwin.britishcouncil.org/education. For online version of the Darwin Now exhibit, go to darwin.britishcouncil.org/exhibition.

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EXHIBIT DETAILS:

Opening:       Thursday, May 6, 11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., at the La Kretz Hall Lobby of the Wallis Annenberg Integrated Sciences Complex, located on the Cal State L.A. campus. Directions may be found at www.calstatela.edu

Parking:        Parking Structure C. Permit dispenser - $.50/hour

Hours:          May 2010 - Dec. 2011.

Admission:     Free of charge.

Info:             Professor Lauri Ramey of English at (323) 343-4140 or -4165.

 

Working for California since 1947: The 175-acre hilltop campus of California State University, Los Angeles is at the heart of a major metropolitan city, just five miles from Los Angeles’ civic and cultural center. More than 20,000 students and 210,000 alumni—with a wide variety of interests, ages and backgrounds—reflect the city’s dynamic mix of populations. Six Colleges offer nationally recognized science, arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and humanities programs, among others, led by an award-winning faculty. Cal State L.A. is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra and to a unique university center for gifted students as young as 12. Programs that provide exciting enrichment opportunities to students and community include an NEH- and Rockefeller-supported humanities center; a NASA-funded center for space research; and a growing forensic science program, housed in the Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center. www.calstatela.edu