The Center for the Understanding of Origins Kansas State University Iris M. Totten

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The Center for the Understanding of
OriginsKansas State UniversityIris M. Totten
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Why create a Center in Kansas?

• Pulse Research conducted a statewide survey in
  2005
• Random telephone survey
• 800 phone interviews
• Completed between Sept. 30- Oct. 5, 2005
• Calls were spread across each of the 10 Kansas
• State Board of Education Districts
• No incentives were offered to participate

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Should intelligent design be taught in schools?
http//media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2005/
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Do you feel that evolutionshould be taught in
schools?
Do you feel that intelligent design should be
taught in schools?
Is it possible to believe in both God and
evolution?
Do you know what intelligent design?
Will the school boards decision influence how
you vote in the next state school board election?
http//media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2005/
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Survey responses based on Gender
http//media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2005/
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The Need for the Center
http//media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2005/
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The Need for the Center
http//media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2005/
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An Interdisciplinary Center,Participating
Departments include?Biology?English?Entomology
?Geology?History?Philosophy?Physics
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• The Center for the Understanding of Origins
• an interdisciplinary Center at Kansas State
  University
• established in the year 2004
• overarching goals
• to enhance scholarship and research in the
  physical and biological origins of life on earth
  
• (2) to establish a vehicle for true
  interdisciplinary research among scientists and
  humanists at KSU and
• (3) to improve upon education and outreach
  efforts aimed at increasing the publics
  understanding of biological and physical
  evolution both on campus and throughout the
  state.

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Center Funding

• 150k received over 3 years original grant in 2004
  through the internal KSU Targeted Excellence
  Program
• A renewal grant in 2005 received for 456k through
  the KSU Targeted Excellence Grant.
• Funds are used for the following
• New faculty hires in Geology, Philosophy, and
  History
• Research assistant/post doctoral support in
  Cosmology, Biology, Entomology, English,
• Development of a new UGE Origins course
• Major public events
• Visiting Speaker series

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Speaker Series
The Center sponsors both academic and public
speakers,
Dr. John Haught- Landegger Distinguished
Professor of Theology at Georgetown
University"God After Darwin Evolution and Divine
Providence Dr. M. Pigliucci- Professor Massimo
Pigliucci, Dept. of Ecology Evolution, SUNY
Stony Brook, NY "Evolution is it a logical
fallacy? Dr. Craig Nelson Professor of
Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington,
Indiana Effective Strategies for Teaching
Evolution and Other Controversial Issues. Dr.
Michael Ruse-Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of
Philosophy and Director of the Program in History
and Philosophy of Science at Florida State
University.  
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Origins UGE Course

• Fall 2005, we piloted a 300-level UGE course
  entitled
• Origins Humanity, Life, and the
  Universe.
• Course included a ten-week cosmology, geology,
  biology interspersed with philosophy, and English
• 21 students enrolled
• Received positive student feedback regarding the
  impact of the course
• Course scheduled every Fall semester

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Origins Graduate Certificate Program
-A graduate certificate in the Science,
Philosophy, and History of Origins administered
by the Philosophy Department -It is a prime tool
to bridge the gap between the two cultures of
science and humanities -12-hours of graduate
courses in the participating departments -The
certificate has the potential to become the basis
for a History and Philosophy of Science graduate
degree.
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Summary
-The Center serves a critical role in states like
Kansas where the evolution issue is
powerful. -Incorporating interdisciplinary
general education courses for students is a great
way to educate the masses on the ID/Evolution
controversy.