An overview of the scientific story of human origins from the "big bang" to the present day
Background
It's often said that we can't know where we're going without knowing where we've been. The need for a big-picture perspective on who we are, where we came from, and where we're going is perhaps more important now than ever, as we make decisions that affect the fate of our species and our planet. But this broad perspective is difficult to achieve. As David Christian writes in Maps of Time, "...from schools to universities to research institutes, we teach about origins in disconnected fragments. We seem incapable of offering a unified account of how things came to be the way they are."
This Saturday Symposium series, "Our Cosmic History," is designed to complement and support existing science education by combining a unified scientific account of how things came to be as they are, with guidance on how to incorporate these insights into classroom science units. The theme of the series is the scientific story of our human origins, from the beginning of the universe to our present technological society. This theme provides a way to organize a wide variety of scientific disciplines into a coherent story of deep human interest - our own origins. The common thread throughout the story is the emergence of structures of increasing complexity driven by the flow of energy - a story of interaction, change, and emergence.
Goals of the Series
Details
The next lecture will be spring term, 2010 at Portland State University. The 2010 version will consist of 6 lectures on successive Thurs. evenings, open to the public and also available for PSU graduate credit.
(See below for the complete schedule, location and map, etc. for the 2008-9 series.) Each symposium will have two parts:
1) Public Lecture (10 - 11:25 am) - Free and open to everyone: teachers, students, and the general public. Each lecture will describe the highlights of one stage of our cosmic history, part of the grand narrative of human origins. There will also be time for general questions on the topic.
2) Round Table Discussion for Teachers (11:30 am - 12:30 pm) - Also free but focused on the needs of teachers. Bring your lunch if you'd like, and your questions and thoughts about how to implement the big ideas of the lecture into the specific settings of your classrooms. These informal follow-up discussions for educators will focus on the nitty-gritty details of how to harness the interest inspired by the big ideas of the lecture, to teach grade-level-appropriate science and math related to the lecture topic.
Topics List and Schedule (2008-9):
1. Overview: Teaching a Unified Account of the Past (Dr. David Christian, San Diego State University, Dept. of History, September 13 at 10 am, Multnomah Ballroom at University Place, Portland State University)
2. Our Cosmic Context: A Brief Tour of Our Universe (Dr. Todd Duncan, PSU/Pacific University, Center for Science Education/Dept. of Physics, October 18 at 10 am, Hoffman Hall, PSU)
3. The Early Universe: From the Big Bang to Stars & Galaxies (Dr. Aparna Venkatesan, University of San Francisco, Dept. of Physics/Astronomy & Dr. Todd Duncan, PSU) (October 25, 10 am, Hoffman Hall, PSU)
4. Formation & Evolution of the Earth/Solar System (Dr. Melinda Hutson, PSU, Dept. of Geology) (November 15, 10 am, Room 190 School of Business, on 6th & Harrison, PSU)
5. Origins of Life on Earth (Dr. Niles Lehman, PSU, Dept. of Chemistry) (January 24, 10 am, Room 190 School of Business, on 6th & Harrison, PSU)
6. The Emergence of Complex Life (Dr. Stacey Halpern, Pacific University, Dept. of Biology) (February 7, 10 am, Hoffman Hall, PSU)
7. The Emergence of Human Civilization and Culture (Dr. Candice Goucher, Washington State University Vancouver, Dept. of History) (March 21, 10 am, Hoffman Hall, PSU)
8. Engineering and Modern Technology (Dr. Amanda Duncan, Intel Corp., electrical engineering) (April 18, 10 am, Room 190 School of Business, on 6th & Harrison, PSU)
9. A Scientific Awakening: Our Moment in an Evolving Universe (Dr. Craig Tyler, Fort Lewis College, physics) (May 16, 10 am, Science Building 1 Room 107, PSU)
* This lecture series is made possible by a generous grant from the Oregon Department of Education and The Center for Science Education at Portland State University.
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