Dr. Jim Lacefield Download a high-resolution version

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The second in a series of public lectures on evolution will continue at The University of Alabama with science educator Dr. Jim Lacefield. Lacefield will speak on “Using Evidence from Alabama’s Geologic Record in Support of Teaching Concepts Related to Evolution and an Ancient and Dynamic Earth” on Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m. in 127 Biology Building Auditorium on the UA campus.

Lacefield, a teacher for more than 30 years, is an adjunct professor of biology and earth science at the University of North Alabama. He will speak about Alabama’s rich and informative geologic record, and how basic knowledge of the state’s rocks and fossils can help students understand the scientific evidence for organic evolution and the concept of a changing earth. He will summarize lines of evidence from Alabama’s geological record that document the existence of deep time evolutionary changes.

A teacher in Alabama’s public school system, Lacefield returned to the classroom and obtained a Doctorate in Education from UA in 1990, concentrating in geology and biology. As part of his doctoral work he wrote “Lost Worlds in Alabama Rocks: A Guide to the State’s Ancient Life and Landscapes,” a book designed to provide an overview of Alabama’s geological and paleontological records for teachers, students and the general public. It has been adopted for use in science classes from the eighth grade through the undergraduate college levels and has been used at eight universities as a text supplement for introductory geology and biology courses.

In addition to this book, Lacefield has written articles on Alabama’s natural history and environment for Wild Alabama and Wild South magazines, NatureSouth-the Journal of the Alabama Museum of Natural History, and other periodicals. He focuses on the development of strategies for integrating concepts in evolution into the science classroom and promoting the understanding of the geological evidence documenting ancient and dynamic earth.

The Alabama Lectures on Life’s Evolution (ALLELE) is a two-year series of lectures and will continue with lectures on

Jan. 19 with paleontologist Dr. Patricia Kelley, professor of earth sciences at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, who will speak on “Evolution and Creation: Conflicting or Compatible?”

Feb. 23 -- Dr. Richard Lenski, Hannah Professor of Microbial Ecology at Michigan State University, will speak on “Experimental Evolution: Bug and bytes;”

March 28 -- Dr. Kenneth Miller, biology professor at Brown University, will speak on “Devil in the Details: The Failure of ‘Intelligent Design;’”

April 13 -- Dr. Jeffrey Schwartz, professor of anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh and a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, will speak on “What’s Wrong with Paleoanthropology, and Can We Fix It?”

The ALLELE series is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation, and UA’s College of Arts and Sciences and College of Education. The lectures are designed for non-technical audience and are free and open to the public.