Nature, Nurture Or Neither?

GENERAL MEDIA RELEASE:

3 November

Nature, Nurture Or Neither? Are We Born to Be Fat, Brilliant, Sporty?

UK geneticist and top selling science author, Professor Steve Jones (University College London), will be touring New Zealand 18-26 November to give New Zealanders the latest science on the nature/nurture question, especially as it applies to human intelligence, obesity, and sporting performance.

On the question of intelligence, says Jones, “The idea of an in-born, set IQ is dead. Generally, we get smarter as we get older, and humans are getting smarter on average.”

Professor Jones is in New Zealand as a guest of the Allan Wilson Centre, and the last in their 2013 lecture series, which featured Mark Pagel, Craig Stanford and Paul Ehrlich.

Hamish Spencer, Director of the Allan Wilson Centre, which specialises in evolutionary biology, said, “We are thrilled to have one of the world’s leading thinkers in the exciting and powerful field of human genetics. The role genes and environment play in the development of human characteristics is clearly a topic of great interest.”

Professor Jones has produced a number of award-winning books on biology and genetics, including Almost Like a Whale and his latest, The Serpent’s Promise. He is well known in the UK for his public communication of science through his many broadcasts on radio and television, his lectures and regular column in the Daily Telegraph. Professor Jones won the Royal Society Faraday Prize in 1996 and was recently elected a Fellow.
Their website refers to him as their “…number one communicator on evolution and on many other aspects of genetics. His distinguished experimental studies on the ecological genetics of snails and fruit flies have given him the authority to build an enviable career in public lecturing, radio and television, as a newspaper columnist and in writing hugely successful and influential books. Through his balanced but incisive commentaries the public has come to trust him to interpret the breathtaking advances in genetics and genetic modification that have characterised the last couple of decades and that continue to perplex and worry many non-scientists.”

Professor Jones’ lecture schedule:

To reserve seats, or purchase tickets in the case of Wellington and Auckland (other venues are free of charge) go to www.allanwilsoncentre.ac.nz
There will be door sales.

Auckland Museum Events Centre, Monday, 18 November, 6.15pm (tickets cost $15/$10 for students)

Wellington, Embassy Theatre, Wednesday 20 November, 6.00pm (tickets cost $15/$10 for students)

Palmerston North, Central City Library, Thursday, 21 November, 6.30pm

Christchurch, Middleton Grange School Auditorium, Friday, 22 November, 6.30pm

Nelson, Old St John’s, 320 Hardy St, Saturday 23 November, 6.30pm

Dunedin, University of Otago, University of Otago College Auditorium, Tuesday, 26 November, 6.30pm

ENDS

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