Gill speaks about Darwin Day on Iowa Public Radio
Jacquelyn Gill, an assistant professor of terrestrial paleoecology at the University of Maine, was a recent guest on Iowa Public Radio’s “Talk of Iowa.” Feb. 12 marked the 209th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution. To celebrate his contributions to science and humanity, Darwin Day will be recognized in Iowa City Feb. 23–24 with a series of conversations about topics in science, education and climate change, according to the report. Four of the event’s featured speakers, including Gill, gave a preview of the upcoming celebration. The four experts emphasize the importance of education and scientific literacy in the face of climate change, particularly for young people, the report states. Gill, who studies climate-driven extinctions of the past, says a key element of scientific research should be accessibility. “I feel very strongly about what I call science for everyone,” she said. “That’s the idea that science should be done in the public interest, it should be accessible and easily communicated to every American, and also that the pathways to science should be available to anyone who wants to pursue them.” Little Village magazine also reported on Darwin Day.