Genie Scott honored

Posted 19 May 2009 by Richard B. Hoppe

Scientific American has identified

Ten researchers, politicians, business executives and philanthropists who have recently demonstrated outstanding commitment to assuring that the benefits of new technologies and knowledge will accrue to humanity

Among them is Eugenie Scott, Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education. SciAm says of Scott

Thomas Henry Huxley was the 19th-century biologist known as "Darwin's bulldog" for his defense of the great scientist's ideas. The 21st century has a counterpart in the woman who describes herself as "Darwin's golden retriever." Eugenie Scott has emerged as one of the most prominent advocates for keeping evolution an integral part of the curriculum in public schools in her role as head of the nonprofit National Center for Science Education (NCSE). Eugenie Scott has emerged as one of the most prominent advocates for keeping evolution an integral part of the curriculum in public schools in her role as head of the nonprofit National Center for Science Education (NCSE).

Canine metaphors aside, Genie is a tireless and highly effective advocate for science education as well as a charming person, and we congratulate her.

29 Comments

John Kwok · 19 May 2009

IMHO, it's an honor long overdue to her from Scientific American. She should have been honored back in 2006 for her work on behalf of the plaintiffs in the 2005 Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District trial. But she's certainly been busy over the past eighteen months too, most notably, of course, in Texas.

Ironically, I found out about this yesterday, at, of all places, Pharyngula (NOTE to PZ and his fans, please don't gloat!).

Frank J · 19 May 2009

Allow me to beat the trolls to remark how Genie Scott has tirelessly spent the years since Dover fighting "academic freedom."

Of course "academic freedom" is nothing more than making taxpayers pay for misleading students in public school science class when anti-evolution activists are already free to do that on their own dime for ~99.9% of the students' waking hours.

John Kwok · 19 May 2009

Not only "academic freedom", but "strengths and weaknesses" too:

Frank J said: Allow me to beat the trolls to remark how Genie Scott has tirelessly spent the years since Dover fighting "academic freedom." Of course "academic freedom" is nothing more than making taxpayers pay for misleading students in public school science class when anti-evolution activists are already free to do that on their own dime for ~99.9% of the students' waking hours.

Incidentally, she isn't doing this only here, but in Canada too (She's currently attending a conference there. I had sent her a brief note of congratulations, and she had e-mailed back, thanking me and mentioning her participation.).

386sx · 19 May 2009

Keep rockin Eugenie Scott!

P.S. Have you guys seen this yet?

http://www.revealingthelink.com/

386sx · 19 May 2009

Academic freedom = Freedom to call anything they want academic. That's what they really mean by academic freedom.

Troy · 19 May 2009

This comment has been moved to The Bathroom Wall.

Keelyn · 19 May 2009

And Troy Babbled: BLAB, BLAB, BLAB, ...

Shutup, Troy. No one is accommodating you in this thread (I hope).

RBH · 19 May 2009

Da Roolz

This thread will not turn into a troll fest. Troy's crap has been sent to the Bathroom Wall, and all such will follow it.

Keelyn · 19 May 2009

Oh, and by the way, big congratulations to Genie Scott - she deserves the honor.

Troy · 19 May 2009

This comment has been moved to The Bathroom Wall.

gabriel · 19 May 2009

Warm congrats, Genie! It's an honour long overdue.

toucantoad · 19 May 2009

I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Scott in the 2003 Texas school board hearings. She was a rasy of light in that room of hystrionics. Congratulations Genie.

bigjohn756 · 19 May 2009

Wouldn't you think that we ought to be doing much better than we are, after all, we do have a genie on our side. All we have to do is rub her a little and she can grant us three wishes.

My abject apologies for the horrible pun, Dr. Scott. I was unable to resist, but, I am certain that you have never heard any puns on your name previously.

John Kwok · 19 May 2009

Don't worry about that. She does read PT and has posted here occasionally. Am sure she got a good chuckle:

bigjohn756 said: Wouldn't you think that we ought to be doing much better than we are, after all, we do have a genie on our side. All we have to do is rub her a little and she can grant us three wishes. My abject apologies for the horrible pun, Dr. Scott. I was unable to resist, but, I am certain that you have never heard any puns on your name previously.

John Kwok · 19 May 2009

Hey, that's better Brooklynese than I'm capable of:

RBH said: Da Roolz This thread will not turn into a troll fest. Troy's crap has been sent to the Bathroom Wall, and all such will follow it.

John Kwok · 19 May 2009

I heard that there was to be an official press announcement on it at AMNH with NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg present:

386sx said: Keep rockin Eugenie Scott! P.S. Have you guys seen this yet? http://www.revealingthelink.com/

386sx · 19 May 2009

John Kwok said: I heard that there was to be an official press announcement on it at AMNH with NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg present:
386sx said: Keep rockin Eugenie Scott! P.S. Have you guys seen this yet? http://www.revealingthelink.com/

I don't know who's in charge of all the hype, but whoever they are, they're doing a fantastic job. :P She's a beauty though for sure.

Frank J · 20 May 2009

P.S. Have you guys seen this yet? http://www.revealingthelink.com
— 386sx

There's a thread about it here on PT. Continuing from there my tirade against sensationalist headlines (and how they help anti-evolution activists), I must ask: What in Ben Stein's name is "our earliest ancestor" supposed to mean? Anyway, as a 10-year member of NCSE, I would like to thank Genie for helping me see past the sensationalist headlines and critically analyze evolution the right way.

John Kwok · 20 May 2009

And sadly, it looks as though delusional twit LSS Troy has been busy "infesting" it, by demonstrating his inane understanding of paleobiology, with of course, special emphasis on punctuated equilibrium. You might ask yourself why the originator of that thread believes my sole comment there was worth sending to The Bathroom Wall, while he still allows Troy carte blanche to do some more risible trolling:

Frank J said:
P.S. Have you guys seen this yet? http://www.revealingthelink.com
— 386sx
There's a thread about it here on PT. Continuing from there my tirade against sensationalist headlines (and how they help anti-evolution activists), I must ask: What in Ben Stein's name is "our earliest ancestor" supposed to mean? Anyway, as a 10-year member of NCSE, I would like to thank Genie for helping me see past the sensationalist headlines and critically analyze evolution the right way.

John Kwok · 20 May 2009

I am still scratching my head as to why AMNH had a major press briefing on it, when no one from either its Paleontology or Anthropology departments was listed as one of the authors of the scientific paper announcing this discovery (And one that featured some commentary from none other than NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg.). One of the PLoS article's authors, Dr. J. H. Harun, made the official announcement. Apparently there's some kind of tie-in with a cable television special on this very fossil that was airing tonight. Incidentally, Harun said something to the effect that having this kind of publicity was good, merely to inform the public. But if you ask me, this was a bit of public relations overkill:

386sx said:
John Kwok said: I heard that there was to be an official press announcement on it at AMNH with NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg present:
386sx said: Keep rockin Eugenie Scott! P.S. Have you guys seen this yet? http://www.revealingthelink.com/

I don't know who's in charge of all the hype, but whoever they are, they're doing a fantastic job. :P She's a beauty though for sure.

John Kwok · 21 May 2009

Apparently most, if not all of the authors, were present at the AMNH press conference. I have heard that a cast of the fossil will be on display at AMNH indefinitely:

John Kwok said: I am still scratching my head as to why AMNH had a major press briefing on it, when no one from either its Paleontology or Anthropology departments was listed as one of the authors of the scientific paper announcing this discovery (And one that featured some commentary from none other than NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg.). One of the PLoS article's authors, Dr. J. H. Harun, made the official announcement. Apparently there's some kind of tie-in with a cable television special on this very fossil that was airing tonight. Incidentally, Harun said something to the effect that having this kind of publicity was good, merely to inform the public. But if you ask me, this was a bit of public relations overkill:
386sx said:
John Kwok said: I heard that there was to be an official press announcement on it at AMNH with NYC mayor Mike Bloomberg present:
386sx said: Keep rockin Eugenie Scott! P.S. Have you guys seen this yet? http://www.revealingthelink.com/

I don't know who's in charge of all the hype, but whoever they are, they're doing a fantastic job. :P She's a beauty though for sure.

Mike · 21 May 2009

Ironic that Discover chooses to honor Forrest Mims, an outspoken creationist who's done alot of harm to science education, and Scientific American chooses to honor Eugenie Scott who's done an enormous amount of work protecting and improving science education.

John Kwok · 21 May 2009

Discover has stated that it has acknowledged Mims for his abilities as an inventor. However, I do share the skepticism implied in your observation, Mike:

Mike said: Ironic that Discover chooses to honor Forrest Mims, an outspoken creationist who's done alot of harm to science education, and Scientific American chooses to honor Eugenie Scott who's done an enormous amount of work protecting and improving science education.

John Kwok · 21 May 2009

As an example of Mims's mendacity, one doesn't need to look any further than to recall his role in "outing" University of Texas ecologist Eric Pianka and the Texas Academy of Sciences, by bringing Pianka's controversial speech before the academy (The one in which he thought Earth's biosphere would be better if mankind became extinct as the result of an Ebola viral plague.) to the attention of one Bill Dembski. Both Mims and Dembski collaborated on a hostile online campaign against both Pianka and the Academy that resulted in countless death threats. Moreover, Dembski complained to the Federal Department of Homeland Security, accusing Pianka of being a potential "bioterrorist", and, subsequently, Pianka was questioned by Homeland Security, thanks to Dembski's complaint:

John Kwok said: Discover has stated that it has acknowledged Mims for his abilities as an inventor. However, I do share the skepticism implied in your observation, Mike:
Mike said: Ironic that Discover chooses to honor Forrest Mims, an outspoken creationist who's done alot of harm to science education, and Scientific American chooses to honor Eugenie Scott who's done an enormous amount of work protecting and improving science education.

John Kwok · 25 May 2009

@ Karen S.,

Since PZ isn't allowing me to post at any of his PT threads, am writing here just to thank you for letting us know where the cast of Darwinius is on display at AMNH. I would have thought that it would have been put on display in the second floor main entrance lobby (Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Rotunda), but should have realized that AMNH wouldn't risk losing a chance of making a bit of money by putting it inside its latest special exhibition:

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/extrememammals/extreme-mammals/ida.php

Appreciatively yours,

John

P. S. I was at AMNH on Saturday too, but spent virtually all of it attending some Education Department programming devoted to indigenous peoples and their response to global climate change.

John Kwok · 27 May 2009

This is a bit off-topic, but still consistent with its spirit:

The Society for the Study of Evolution is honoring National Center for Science Education Executive Director Eugenie Scott as its first recipient of the Stephen Jay Gould Prize. According to its citation, she is being honored for these reasons:

"As the executive director of the National Center for Science Education she has been in the forefront of battles to ensure that public education clearly distinguishes science from non-science and that the principles of evolution are taught in all biology courses. ... In these efforts, she has been an important leader in the public sphere, molding and focusing the efforts of scientists, educators, lay people, religious groups, skeptics, agnostics, believers, scholars, and ordinary citizens through firm but gentle guidance. ... Dr. Scott is a gifted communicator and public intellectual. She is a frequent guest on radio and television shows, and an eloquent spokeswoman for science. Her writings have illuminated the process of science to thousands, and her books have exposed the efforts of many groups in our society to hobble and undermine the teaching of science to our younger generation. The organization she helped create far transcends the considerable reach of her own voice, vastly amplifying her impact on public understanding. For these many reasons, it is extremely appropriate that Dr. Scott be the first recipient of the Gould Prize."

You can read the rest of the news announcement at NCSE's website here:

http://ncseweb.org/news/2009/05/ncses-scott-awarded-stephen-jay-gould-prize-004810

Ray Martinez · 30 May 2009

Darwinists kissing the ass of other Darwinists.

Boring, pathetic and quite predictable.

Ray

John Kwok · 31 May 2009

Only a delusional IDiot like Ray Martinez would embrace the pathetic mendacious intellectual pornography known as Intelligent Design creationism, which would lead him to make a statement of such breathtaking inanity as this:

Ray Martinez said: Darwinists kissing the ass of other Darwinists. Boring, pathetic and quite predictable. Ray

Henry J · 1 June 2009

I would think that those who base conclusions on evidence would tend to be more predictable than those who ignore evidence, since the evidence itself would point to the conclusion(s).

Henry