University of Arkansas Announces Complete Schedule For National Science Writers Conference

Fayetteville, Ark. - The University of Arkansas has announced the complete schedule of events for the 42^nd annual meeting of the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing (CASW) to be held Nov. 7-10, 2004, at the University of Arkansas' Center for Continuing Education.

The conference features outstanding scientists, not only from the U of A but also from the nation and world, who will present information about new research programs that are not yet on the front page. These briefings give science writers a unique opportunity to explore emerging lines of scientific research before they make it into the public domain.

This year, the program features UA researchers, including Brent Smith, sociology; Donald Judges, law; Fred Stephen, entomology; Steve Stephenson, biological sciences; Fred Spiegel, biological sciences; Peter Ungar, anthropology; Laurent Bellaiche, physics; Jerry Havens, chemical engineering; and Jean-Francois Meullenet, food science.

In addition, there will be researchers from the Department of Defense, the University of California Berkeley, the National Institutes of Health, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of California at San Diego, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Joint Global Change Research Institute.

Below is a complete schedule of events and times for the upcoming conference:

Saturday, Nov. 6

9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Registration outside the Garland Room on the lobby floor of the Radisson. Information on restaurants and local activities will be available.

Sunday, Nov. 7

8 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Registration and information in the McIlroy Room on the second floor of the Radisson.

7 a.m.: Breakfast begins in the Ballroom across from the McIlroy Room on the second floor of the Radisson.

8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. - FORENSIC FRONTIERS

A session devoted to an exploration of new developments aimed at thwarting domestic terrorism and increasing the reliability of eyewitness testimony.

THE NEW SCIENCE OF TERRORISM

Brent L. Smith, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice and Director, Terrorism Research Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

REAL-TIME DETECTION OF THREAT

Andrew H. Ryan, Jr., Ph.D., Chief of Research, Department of Defense Polygraph Institute, Fort Jackson, SC

EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY: CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SCIENCE AT A CROSSROADS

Donald P. Judges, J.D., Ph.D., Ben J. Altheimer Professor of Legal Advocacy, University of Arkansas School of Law, Fayetteville

11:15 a.m. to Noon -- OZARKIAN FORAY: SETTING THE SCENE

An introduction by our guides to the afternoon's dual-purpose sojourn to the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.

COPING WITH THE RED OAK BORER EXPLOSION

Fred M. Stephen, University Professor, Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

TAKING GLOBAL STOCK OF SLIME MOLDS

Steven L. Stephenson, Ph.D., Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Frederick W. Spiegel, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Noon: Lunch served on the fourth floor of Continuing Education.

12:45 p.m.: Buses depart for Ecojourney to the Ozarks. Participants should gather in the Radisson lobby. The buses will return at 4:45 p.m.

6:15 p.m.: Buses begin to depart for reception at University House.

8:45 p.m.: Hospitality Suite open - room 1510.

Monday, Nov. 8

7 a.m.: Breakfast in the Ballroom across from the McIlroy Room.

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. - Registration and information will be in the McIlroy Room on the second floor of the Radisson.

8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

REPROGRAMMING CELLS

Jay D. Keasling, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, and Head, Synthetic Biology Department. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

TISSUE-SPECIFIC IMMUNITY

Polly Matzinger, Ph.D., Head, Section on T-cell Tolerance and Memory, Ghost Lab, Laboratory for Cellular and Molecular Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD

11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: Lunch on your own.

2:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

THE COMING REVOLUTIONS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS

Chris Quigg, Ph.D., Senior Scientist, Theoretical Physics Department, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia, IL

THE NEXT INFORMATION AGE?

Carl J. Williams, Ph.D., Chief, Atomic Physics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD

6:30-9:45 p.m.: CASW annual reception and dinner, Fayetteville Town Center, Fayetteville Square, two blocks south of the Radisson.

9:30 p.m.: Hospitality Suite open - room 1510.

Tuesday, Nov. 9

7 a.m.: Breakfast in the Ballroom across from the McIlroy Room.

8 a.m. to noon -- Registration and information in the McIlroy Room on the second floor of the Radisson.

8:30 a.m.: Buses depart Radisson for the Donald W. Reynolds Center on the University of Arkansas campus.

9:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

HUMAN ORIGINS

New comparative studies of genotype and phenotype are shedding important light on the evolution of Homo.

GENETIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMANS AND GREAT APES: IMPLICATIONS FOR HUMAN EVOLUTION (AND DISEASE)

Ajit Varki, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Co-Director, Glycobiology Research and Training Center, and Coordinator, Project of Explaining the Origin of Humans, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA

EVOLUTION'S BITE

Peter Ungar, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

BUILDING THE NEXT NANOWONDERS FROM SCRATCH

Laurent Bellaiche, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Lunch at the Donald W. Reynolds Center.

1:30 p.m.: Buses depart for campus tours. They will return to the Radisson at 5 p.m.

6:45 p.m.: Buses begin to depart for Rock-n-Roll evening at George's Majestic Lounge with a barbecue dinner. Dress is casual.

9:30 p.m. Hospitality Suite open - room 1510.

Wednesday, Nov. 10

7 a.m.: Breakfast in the Ballroom across from the McIlroy Room.

8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

COSMIC DAWN

Paul R. Shapiro, Ph.D., Professor of Astronomy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX

CLIMATE CHANGE: NOW FOR THE HARD PART

Gerald M. Stokes, Ph.D., Director, Joint Global Change Research Institute, College Park, MD

Thursday, Nov. 11

8 a.m.: Van departs for field trip to the Cross Timbers.