June 15, 2021, 1:00 – 5:00 pm ET

In honor of DoSER’s 25th anniversary, we are hosting a half-day virtual symposium titled, “Forward Together: Where Science, Ethics, and Religion Intersect in a Changing World.”

The symposium will include panel presentations and small group discussions on topics at the forefront of the science-religion dialogue, the broad impacts of science on human life and society, and the importance of faith communities for enabling the broadest benefits of scientific advances.

Join scientists, science communicators, faith leaders, and practitioners to learn about engagement on hot topics including evolution, climate change, genetics and neurology, artificial intelligence, combating racism, and building trust and connections between scientific and faith communities.

Agenda:

1:00 PM ET Opening Plenary – Why is the dialogue between scientific and religious communities important?

• Nalini Nadkarni, Professor of Biology, University of Utah
• Jennifer Wiseman, Director, AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program
• Moderator: Katy Hinman, Associate Director, AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program

Breakout Sessions – How has this dialogue changed our understanding, and what does the future hold?

2:00 PM ET Session 1 (concurrent sessions)

• Evolution
  • Levi Morran, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Emory University
  • Briana Pobiner, Paleoanthropologist, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History
  • Moderator: John Slattery, Senior Program Associate, AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program
• Climate and Environment
  • Neddy Astudillo, Latinx and Latin America Organizing and Training Coordinator, GreenFaith
  • J. Marshall Shepherd, Director, Atmospheric Sciences Program, University of Georgia
  • Moderator: Emily Therese Cloyd, Director, AAAS Center for Public Engagement with Science and Technology

2:45 PM ET Session 2 (concurrent sessions)

• Public Health
  • Michaela Howells, Assistant Professor of Biological Anthropology, University of North Carolina, Wilmington
  • Pamela Payne Foster, Professor, University of Alabama School of Medicine in Tuscaloosa
  • Moderator: Se Kim, Director of Membership and Governance, National Academy of Medicine
• Race and Racial Justice
  • Terence Keel, Associate Professor, Department of African American Studies and the UCLA Institute for Society & Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles
  • Elonda Clay, Director of the Library, Methodist Theological School in Ohio
  • Moderator: Shirley Malcom, Senior Advisor and Director, SEA Change, American Association for the Advancement of Science

3:30 PM ET Session 3 (concurrent sessions)

• Genetics and Being Human
  • Praveen Sethupathy, Director, Center for Vertebrate Genomics, Cornell University
  • Noah Collins, Scientist, Variant Bio
  • Moderator: Rob O’Malley, Project Director, AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program
• Artificial Intelligence
  • J. Nathan Matias, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Cornell University
  • Philip Reed Butler, Assistant Professor of Theology and Black Posthuman Artificial Intelligence Systems, Iliff School of Theology
  • Moderator: Curtis Baxter, Senior Program Associate, AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program

4:20 PM ET Closing Plenary – Shared Values: Building trust and connections between scientific and faith communities

• Sudip Parikh, CEO, American Association for the Advancement of Science
• David Anderson, founder and senior pastor, Bridgeway Community Church; founder and President, BridgeLeader Network
• Moderator: Jennifer Wiseman, Director, AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion Program

5:00 PM ET Reception

This event is free and open to the public.

Please continue to check this webpage for more details, and click below to register for the event. We look forward to celebrating with you!