McComas Serving on National Panel to Develop Smithsonian Exhibition
Posted on 1/30/2008
University of Arkansas professor William F. McComas has been named to a national panel to support the development of an exhibition on "Human Origins: What Does it Mean to be Human," under construction at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington. He joins 12 other experts representing the formal and museum education communities along with those in science media production to provide advice on public education and outreach.
McComas holds the Parks Family Endowed Professorship of Science and Technology Education in the College of Education and Health Professions. McComas won the 2007 Evolution Education Award from the National Association of Biology Teachers. In addition, he has edited two major books, one that addresses issues in the philosophy of science, The Nature of Science in Science Education (Springer 1998), and one that addresses the use of laboratory activities to teach the foundation elements of evolution by natural selection, Investigating Evolutionary Biology in the Laboratory (Kendall/Hunt 2006).
McComas attended the first meeting of the Smithsonian advisory board late in October, when the members were briefed by Richard Potts, director of the Human Origins project and paleoanthropologist at the National Museum of Natural History. McComas stated that "Dr. Potts in uniquely qualified to lead this initiative, with over 20 years of active field work at important archeological sites in East Africa and northeast China represented in numerous publications."
The 15,000-square-foot exhibit, which will open in November 2009, will focus on the theme "What Does it Mean to be Human?" Visitors will interact with exhibits and activities designed "to help them understand the shared framework of humankind such as the biological and cultural history that applies to all human beings as a universal story."
A concurrent theme of the exhibition will focus on the ecological dimension of human history by making a specific link between climate changes and human evolution. The story of human evolution will be illustrated by key fossils, multimedia tools and interactive engagement with visitors. Of particular interest is the focus on an understanding of evolutionary biology itself by using human evolution as a compelling example.
The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is the most popular natural history in the world with more than 6 million visitors per year. "The entry of the Smithsonian into the public discussion of human evolution will make a huge impact on the public debate and public understanding of this important topic," McComas said.
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