Communicating human evolution with the public

Hosted by Duke Science & Society on February 16th, 12:00 to 1:00 PM EST

Is human evolution the highest hurdle to public engagement with science, or is it the lowest hanging fruit? Do conflicts with non-scientific worldviews impede people from learning about their own prehistory, or is curiosity about how we became who we are as collective humanity the most powerful draw into science? In this Lunch & Learn, join Dr. Briana Pobiner to hear some examples of the strategies and approaches she uses to engage different audiences with human evolution content.

Dr. Briana Pobiner is a paleoanthropologist and educator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Her research centers on the evolution of human diet (with a focus on meat-eating), but has included topics as diverse as human cannibalism and chimpanzee carnivory. Since joining the Smithsonian in 2005 to help put together the Hall of Human Origins, in addition to continuing her active field, laboratory, and experimental research programs, she leads the Human Origins Program’s education and outreach efforts which includes managing the Human Origins Program’s public programs, website content, social media, and exhibition volunteer training. Briana has also more recently developed a research program in evolution education and science communication.