April 22-25, 2009: Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Istanbul

Wednesday, April 22nd

5.00 p.m.	Registration Opens
6.30 p.m.	Drinks Reception
7.30 p.m.	Welcome Dinner

Thursday, April 23rd

8.50 a.m.	Welcome
9.00 a.m.	Prof. John Hedley Brooke [until recently Oxford University] ‘The Reception of Darwinism in the English Speaking World’ (PDF, English) ‘Darwin’in Kuraminin Ingilizce-Konusulan Ülkelerde Karsilanisi’ (PDF, Türkçe)
9.45 a.m.	Prof. Şükrü Hanioğlu  [Princeton University, filmed presentation] and Dr. Deniz Ergi Özsoy [Hacettepe University] ‘The Reception of Darwinism in the Ottoman Empire’
10.30 a.m.	Coffee Break
11.00 a.m.	Prof. Erksin Güleç [Ankara University] ‘Evolution in Anatolia’
11.45 a.m.	Prof. Francisco Ayala  [University of California] ‘The Contemporary Evolution of Evolutionary Theory’
12.30 p.m.	Break
12.45 p.m.	Lunch
2.00 p.m.	Prof. Simon Conway Morris FRS [Cambridge University] ‘Convergence in Evolutionary History’
2.45 p.m.	Prof. David Lordkipanidze [Director General of the Georgian National Museum] ‘Human Evolution in Europe’
3.30 p.m.	Tea Break
4.00 p.m.	Prof. Barbara Drossel [Darmstadt University of Technology] ‘The Evolution of of Biological Complexity’
4.45 p.m.	Dr. Ard Louis [Oxford University] ‘The Evolution of Self-Assembling Systems’
5.30 p.m.	Break
6.30 p.m.	Dinner
8.00 p.m.	Panel Discussion – ‘Evolution and Purpose’ Chair: Sir Brian Heap FRS [Formerly Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society]

Friday, April 24^th

9.00 a.m.	Prof. Vidyanand Nanjundiah [Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore] ‘The Evolution of Cooperativity’
9.45 a.m.	Prof. Hüseyin Atay [Faculty of Theology, Ankara University] ‘Science, Evolution and the Qu’ran’ ‘Science, Evolution and the Qu’ran’ (PDF, English) ‘Bilim, Evrim ve Kur’an’ (PDF, Türkçe)
10.30 a.m.	Coffee Break
11.00 a.m.	Prof. Francisco Ayala [University of California] ‘The Intelligent Design Movement – a Critique’
11.45 a.m.	Prof. Aykut Kence [Middle East Technical University, Ankara] ‘Creationism – Historical and Contemporary Perspectives’
12.30 p.m.	Break
12.45 p.m.	Lunch
2.00 p.m.	Prof. Nidhal Guessoum [American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates] ‘The Challenges of Science Education Today’ (PDF, English) ‘Günümüzde Fen Bilimleri Egitiminin Önündeki Güçlükler’ (PDF, Türkçe)
2.45 p.m.	Prof. Sema Ergezen [Marmara University] ‘Teaching Evolution in Turkey: Present and Future’
3.30 p.m.	Tea Break
4.00 p.m.	Panel Discussion and Open Forum – ‘A Better Vision - The Public Understanding of Evolution in Turkey and Beyond’ Chair: Prof. Aslı Tolun
5.30 p.m.	Break

Public Event [Ball-Room, Ritz-Carlton Hotel]

6.00 p.m.	Buffet
7.00 p.m.	A series of scientific presentations and a dramatisation of Darwin’s famous correspondence with Asa Gray, presented by the Menagerie Theatre Company.
9.00 p.m.	‘Asking the Hard Questions’ panel discussion
10.00 p.m.	Finish

Saturday, April 25^th

Breakfast – Depart

Note: Lectures will be given primarily in English.  Simultaneous translation to Turkish will be provided.

Note: Programme last updated on 31 March, 2009.