Professor’s Ward Talk is entitled “Towards a Modern Synthesis in the Liberal Arts: Deoxyribonucleic Acid as a Lens on the World”
| Join us for this inaugural lecture by Jeremy Ward, Albert D. Mead Professor of BiologyDeoxyribonucleic acid (aka DNA) and its counterpart RNA are essential components in every living organism. Their sequence of chemical base pairs dictates the form and function of the organism and their nuanced use during the life of the individual mediates and coordinates interactions with the environment that result in complex behavior. Significant errors in either molecule almost certainly result in dire consequences.
From Professor Ward: “While that is all true, it doesn’t really tell the whole story. In my career, the study of these molecules has never been about them in isolation of the living (and social) context surrounding them. Colleges often segregate the study of these molecules from their broader non-biology context. This is particularly poignant when teaching and learning about humans and the human experience. My work, and particularly the work done since I was granted the Albert D. Mead Professorship in 2012, has been about establishing research avenues and exploring DNA science that reveal the powerful and forward-looking connection between DNA and many of the disciplines that our students study. I hope to describe several projects funded via the Mead professorship (as well as some others) that illustrate the potential of using the universality of DNA to reveal intimate relationships among seemingly disparate topics in the liberal arts.” |
- WHERE: Hillcrest 103
- WHEN: Wednesday, October 30, 2019 from 4:30-5:30 PM