Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, 12pm–1pm

Host: Sonya Neal (intro by Kit Pogliano)

Speakers: Jon Beckwith

Please join us for an intimate, virtual discussion with microbiologist and geneticist Jon Beckwith of Harvard Medical School. Dr. Beckwith is the author of “Making Genes, Making Waves: A Social Activist in Science” and will discuss the history of scientific and social activism and the teaching of social issues in biology. Along with having a successful scientific career, Dr. Jon Beckwith has been one of the scientific community’s most influential champions of social justice and civil liberties. He has openly supported the Black Panther Movement and was among the first in his field to warn the world about the danger of genetic engineering. He has over 50 publications dealing with issues such as discrimination and misuse of behavior genetics. He was a member of the Working Group on Ethical, Legal and Social Implications committee of the Human Genome Project and was an important organizer of the international organization, Science for the People. Since 1983, he has taught a course on Social Issues in Biology at Harvard University, one of the first courses of its kind.

This discussion will be hosted on Zoom with a brief Q & A to follow.