Newswise — Barack Obama and Bill Gates are in good company. The NCSE's Dr. Eugenie C. Scott joins Obama and Gates as members of the Scientific American 10 honor roll. This honor roll pays tribute to the ten people in the last year who have "demonstrated exceptional leadership and accomplishment in guaranteeing that future technologies will be applied to the benefit of humanity".
Past honorees include Al Gore, stem cell pioneers Kevin Eggan and Shinya Yamanaka, Fred Kavli (technology entrepreneur and philanthropist), the X Prize Foundation, and a host of world-renowned (and world class) researchers, policy makers, and business leaders.
Why was Dr. Scott picked? "We were delighted to recognize [her]...tireless advocacy to ensure that evolution, the cornerstone of all modern biology, is taught correctly in the nation's public schools," said John Rennie, Editor in Chief of Scientific American.
Candidates were nominated by researchers, business executives, government officials, leaders of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and Scientific American's Board of Editors. To be eligible, nominees must reach "some significant landmark of accomplishment during the past year: the development of a working prototype; passage of a law; introduction of a new service, etc."
Dr. Scott passed this test with flying colors. The keynote article published today on the Scientific American site hails Dr. Scott as a champion for the teaching of evolution:
"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'. With the ever changing semantics of antievolutionists, Darwin's golden retriever will have plenty more chances to act as a loyal defender of teaching evolution in the schools."
To see the article, go to: www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=scientific-american-10
For coverage of Dr. Scott, go to www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=scientific-american-10&page=3
CONTACT:
Web site: www.ncseweb.org
The National Center for Science Education (NCSE) is a not-for-profit, membership organization that defends and promotes the teaching of evolution in the public schools.
The NCSE provides information and resources to schools, parents, and concerned citizens working to keep evolution in public school science education. We educate the press and public about the scientific, educational, and legal aspects of the creation and evolution controversy, and supply needed information and advice to defend good science education at local, state, and national levels. Our 4000 members are scientists, teachers, clergy, and citizens with diverse religious affiliations.
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