DANBURY, CONN. — Charles Darwin’s legacy as the father of evolutionary biology will provide the theme for Western Connecticut State University biologist Dr. Richard Halliburton’s “Science at Night” lecture at WestConn on Thursday, Feb. 12, marking the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth.

Halliburton will lecture on “Charles Darwin: His Life, Work and Influence” at 7 p.m. in Room 125 of the Science Building on WestConn’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Admission will be free to this program in the continuing WCSU “Science at Night” series, which provides a forum for specialists in a wide range of fields to present scientific topics of general interest to the academic community and the public. A reception with light refreshments will be offered following the talk.

Halliburton, who teaches WCSU courses in evolutionary biology, conducts research specializing in evolutionary genetics, a pioneering field of study that has contributed significantly over the past four decades to scientific theory on how processes such as natural selection, genetic drift and mutation interact over time to produce adaptation and change.

In addition to offering an overview of Darwin’s scientific work and life during the 19th century, Halliburton’s lecture will survey the state of modern evolutionary biology and describe how evolutionary theory has influenced broader trends in the development of science and society from Darwin’s time to the first decade of the 21st century.

“Evolutionary principles that developed from Darwin’s ideas are fundamental to biology, medicine, agriculture and scientific understanding of life on earth,” explained Halliburton in the Science-at-Night lecture announcement.

Halliburton is the author of “Introduction to Population Genetics,” a standard textbook published in 2004 that explains basic principles of population genetics and their applications to research in a broad range of biological, medical and other scientific disciplines. “Population genetics is increasingly relevant to real-world problems such as mapping of genes associated with human diseases, conservation of endangered species, and antibiotic and drug resistance,” the author observed in the book’s summary notes.

This year marks both the bicentennial of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work “The Origin of Species,” landmarks that have inspired programs on university campuses and at other institutions around the world focusing on the theme of evolution.

For more information, call the Office of University Relations at (203) 837-8486.

 
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