The University of Tennessee will be hosting Darwin Day on Feb. 11-13. The event will host keynote speakers, movies, and panels on Intelligent Design.

    Darwin Day has been an annual event at UT since 1997. This year's theme is "Intelligent Design-Is it science? Should it be taught in schools?"

    The first day includes a teachers' workshop, which is intended to help secondary level teachers learn more about evolution. Dr. Andrew Kramer, faculty supervisor for Darwin Day, said, "As faculty, part of our job is to serve the community."

    Kramer said he hopes the workshop will make it easier for teachers to bring evolution into schools. "Many teachers just don't know how to go about teaching evolution," said Kramer.

    On Feb. 12, Dr. Eugenie Scott, Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, will host a seminar in the University Center Auditorium at 7 p.m. The lecture is free for anyone in the community and will discuss Intelligent Design as a pseudoscience.

    Dr. Gordon Burghardt, UT professor of Psychology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, will host a lunchtime seminar at 12 p.m. in the Austin Peay Boardroom.

    Darwin Day will be airing several movies during the day on Feb. 13, which are intended to dispel many of the myths about evolution and Intelligent Design. At 7 p.m. Darwin Day will feature a feature film and a discussion panel in Alumni Memorial Building room 210.

    Darwin Day exists "to disseminate factual information, in the context of a non-confrontational and rational discussion based on empirical evidence without pre-conceived ideological agendas or uncritical faith in the opinions of scientists, politicians, or clerics," according to the organization's website.

    All events are free for students to attend.

    Students can visit the Darwin Day website for more information, or they can email Rachel Goodman , head of the Board of Directors or Dr. Kramer .