01.11.07
MCFS President Wins AAAS Award
MCFS President Robert Pennock has been named a recipient of a prestigious award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest scientific society. He has been named one of the 2007 AAAS Fellows for his tireless work explaining and defending the teaching of evolution in public schools in the United States.
Pennock is recognized for distinguished service in voicing the philosophical deficits in the pro-intelligent design argument and defending against its inclusion in science teaching.
“I feel very humbled to be honored for just doing what I love to do – studying philosophically and experimentally how science and evolution work, and helping teach about that process of discovery,” Pennock said. “Science is such an important way of understanding ourselves and our world; it deserves to be protected from those who would try to extinguish its light.”
Pennock has published two books and many articles that critique the intelligent design creationist movement. His 1999 book, Tower of Babel: the Evidence Against the New Creationism, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He was an expert witness in the historic Kitzmiller v. Dover case that ruled it unconstitutional to teach ID creationism in public schools. His work has been discussed in newspapers and magazines such as Harpers and Discover. Pennock earned his doctorate in history and philosophy of science from the University of Pittsburgh.
Congratulations, Rob, on a well deserved honor.