Exploring the Concept of Evolution
A speaker series is at the heart of what a university represents—the free exchange of ideas and knowledge, and the discovery of new and exciting ideas and possibilities. The 2009 Festival of Ideas explores the concept of evolution, not only as it pertains to the physical world but also as it applies to culture, communication, economics, and politics. Influential figures ranging from Cornel West to Maeve Leakey will share their views on some of the most important topics facing us in the 21st century.
From February to April, a diverse cast of national experts will visit WVU and discuss the latest ideas about their respective fields with a nod to Darwinian principles.
A few of the talks are also part of the University’s DarwinFest, a series of activities surrounding the 200th birthday of Darwin, who was born February 12, 1809.
The Festival of Ideas lecture series was revived shortly after former WVU President David C. Hardesty Jr. took office in 1995. It was inspired by events he organized as WVU student body president in the 1960s. The festival was recently renamed in honor of WVU President Emeritus David C. Hardesty Jr.
“A campus activity that involves the entire University community, the Festival of Ideas reaffirms the proposition that in a campus community, learning takes place outside the classroom, not just inside the classroom,” said President Emeritus David C. Hardesty Jr.
Each year since, the Festival of Ideas has brought key figures from the fields of sports, politics, business, entertainment, research, scholarship, and culture to Morgantown. The presentations are free and open to the public.
The series is supported in part by the David C. Hardesty Jr. Festival of Ideas Endowment.
Listen to the Festival of Ideas Radio Spot (MP3)
Check out DarwinFest another lecture series held this year at WVU in celebration of the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin.
Check out multimedia from Festival of Ideas