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Were he still alive at this hour, noted author and scientist Charles Darwin would this weekend reach the ripe old age of 203, and this state is joining communities across the country in marking that anniversary with its first collective celebration of Arkansas Darwin Day.

“Many different organizations hold celebrations,” from universities to churches, said organizer Anna Makogonova. But it was she and a partner who last spring had the idea to bring several of them together for the anniversary this year.

“We thought, why don’t we try to connect the dots and bring all these people together, not focused on any one group, but all of them together.”

Thus participants in this year’s celebration include educational organizations like the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College and the Clinton School of Public Service, along with institutions like the Museum of Discovery and Mid-America Science Museum. Add to that hosting sites like Canvas Community and Copper Grill, along with organizational and financial support from groups like the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers and the Secular Student Alliance, and the table of partners is pretty broad.

And the collective interest isn’t in starting a fight about religion or beliefs, Makogonova said.

“We really just wanted to bring the science side to the forefront and talk about science,” she said.

There will be ample opportunity. Though called Arkansas Darwin Day, the event actually stretches over three days, from Friday to Sunday. The second day, Saturday, features a series of lectures hosted at UALR talking both about the work of Darwin and evolutionary sciences in a broader sense. These are presented by professors from schools across Arkansas as well as a keynote address delivered by Kevin Padian, a biology professor from the University of California, Berkeley.

And for those concerned that it will be all high-level, advanced science talk from smart folks with doctoral degrees, don’t worry, Makogonova said. In recruiting speakers, she specifically asked that they keep things at a level that would engage and entertain the general public. Not exactly dumbing it down, just not getting too technical.

Then there are those activities outside of the lecture hall. Friday night’s events include an art contest hosted at Canvas Community, an innovative idea Makogonova said organizers came up with to add some variety.

“We really wanted to do something outside the typical Darwin Day,” she said. “We wanted to explore a different side of it. By combining science and art, we hope to put some fun into the process.”

Even the science stuff isn’t all about evolutionary thought, though, Makogonova said. On Saturday UALR will have its labs open with faculty and students there to talk about their work, and that includes labs for geology and the nanotechnology center of the Bioinformatics Department.

“Prospective students can see hands on what it’s like,” which may spark their interest, Makogonova said.

It’s also there that the Museum of Discovery will be set up with activities for various ages. Mid-America, working in conjunction with the event, will be doing activities on site in Hot Springs.

Other than a dinner and reception Saturday night, the whole schedule of events is free and open to the public, Makogonova said. And while she acknowledged that the topic itself will turn some people off, she noted that her own interest doesn’t stem from a desire to explore the past but rather with an eye to the future.

“Personally, I’m more environmentally motivated. Darwin didn’t say it was the most intelligent or the strongest that would survive, but the most adaptable to change,” she said, adding that our own society lives in a way that is not sustainable.

“Either we become more adapting to change or we perish as a species, but we cannot ignore this [by] thinking the world is not going to change, that it’s going to be the same 50 years down the road.”

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday

6 p.m. — Dr. Kevin Padian, “Evolution, Education, and ‘Intelligent Design’: Lessons from the 2005 Trial in Dover, PA”

Clinton School of Public Service

5-8:30 p.m. — Art contest reception

Canvas Community

Saturday

9 a.m-5 p.m. — Laboratory tours

UALR Science Lab Building

11 a.m.-3 p.m. — Darwin day activities

Mid-America Science Museum

10 a.m.-noon — Student poster presentation and defense

UALR EIT Building

1 p.m. — Opening remarks and Dr. Kevin Padian, University of California, Berkeley, “What Darwin Said (And Did not Say)”

UALR EIT Auditorium

2:30 p.m. — Dr. Joseph M. Plavcan, University of Arkansas, “How Evolutionary Biology and Studies of Human Evolution Impact our Understanding of Ourselves”

UALR EIT Auditorium

3:30 p.m. — Dr. Janet Lanza, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, “Mechanisms of Evolution“

UALR EIT Auditorium

4:30 p.m. — Dr. Scott Austin, University of Central Arkansas, “Evidence for the Age of Earth and the Age of the Universe”

UALR EIT Auditorium

7 p.m. — Dinner reception (registration required)

Copper Grill

Sunday

1 p.m. — Showing of Creation

UALR Dickinson Hall Auditorium

3 p.m. — Showing of Darwin: The Life and Legacy

UALR Dickinson Hall Auditorium