Jepson Leadership Forum 2006-07 to Address "Science, Society and Leadership" With Lectures by Top Visiting Scientists

August 22, 2006

A who’s who list of American scientific leaders will speak on the role science plays in leadership of society during the Jepson Leadership Forum 2006–07, presented by University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies.

Dava Sobel, author of bestselling books on Galileo, the planets and the discovery of longitude, opens the series of eight programs Sept. 25, 7 p.m., at the university’s Modlin Center for the Arts, when she will address how society’s advancement—through exploration, technology, science and discovery—is linked to leadership.

All programs in the Jepson Forum, entering its 12th season, are free and open to the public. Tickets can be reserved beginning three weeks before each event by calling (804) 289-8980. Group ticket requests can be made by contacting the Jepson School’s community programs office at (804) 287-6627 or jepson@richmond.edu.

Sobel says that people know the names of famous explorers and inventors and know their discoveries and innovations. But, she asks, what do we know about their lives, thoughts and motives? What barriers, fears and realities did scientific greats overcome on their quests? Both of Sobel’s books, dealing with such questions, have been adapted into acclaimed PBS movies.

Other 2006–07 Jepson Forum programs will include:

“Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo-Devo,” Sean Carroll, professor of genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a principal investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Science Museum of Virginia, Thalhimer Pavilion. A major contributor and researcher to the understanding of the conceptual foundations of evolutionary developmental biology, Carroll will discuss how scientific exploration and advancement change the way we see and understand reality.
“An Inconvenient Truth,” a screening of the popular global warming documentary, followed by discussion between scholars and students of the film’s scientific accuracy and call for action, Oct. 18, 7 p.m., Modlin Center for the Arts.
“Science Literacy and Our Diverse, Democratic Society,” Shirley Malcom, head of education and human resources of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Dec. 5, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. Malcom leads initiatives to better inform citizens, educators and students about science and close the gap between scientific knowledge and ignorance. She will share her ideas for improving science education.
“Political Science: Where New Knowledge Collides with Public Policy,” Donald Kennedy, editor of Science magazine, Feb. 7, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. As editor of the highly respected, juried scientific journal, Kennedy observes the intersection of science and public policy at the highest levels. A biologist with a Harvard doctorate, former president of Stanford University and former FDA commissioner, he will lead a conversation about the role of science in policymaking and each citizen’s responsibility to understand science.
“Bioethics and Human Happiness: Problem, Promise and Illusion,” Edmund D. Pellegrino, M.D., chairman of the President’s Commission on Bioethics, Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. Professor emeritus of medicine and medical ethics and adjunct -more- Jepson Forum 2006-07, 8/17/06, 3. professor of philosophy at Georgetown University, Pellegrino formerly directed Georgetown’s centers for clinical bioethics and advanced study of ethics and its Kennedy Institute of Ethics. He will discuss how ever-growing medical knowledge poses fundamental moral dilemmas for families, leaders and society. (Funding provided by the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation.)
“The Robotics Revolution,” James McLurkin, inventor, engineer and consultant in distributed robotic systems Feb. 28, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. A young inventor in the vanguard of new technology, McLurkin was recognized by Time magazine in 2003 as one of five leading robotics engineers. He is presently pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science at M.I.T.’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. McLurkin will discuss how leadership requires understanding change and the potential for technology to transform the world. (Program co-sponsored with University of Richmond’s Greater Richmond Alumni Chapter and the Science Museum of Virginia.)
“Leadership and the Mind,” Howard Gardner, author, MacArthur fellow and leading authority about how humans think, best known for his theory of multiple intelligences, March 22, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center. At Harvard University, Gardner is the John H. and Elisabeth A. Hobbs Professor of Cognition and Education at the Graduate School of Education, adjunct professor of psychology and senior director of Project Zero. Last year, Foreign Policy and Prospect magazines named him among the 100 most influential public intellectuals in the world. (Gardner kicks-off a symposium about leadership studies research that continues March 23.)

The Science Museum of Virginia is a partner in this year’s Jepson Forum programs.