Scott is the executive director of the National Center for Science Education, a nonprofit organization that defends the teaching of evolution in the public schools. She has been both a researcher and an activist in the creationism vs. evolution controversy, including intelligent design, for more than 20 years.

Eugenie Scott

She gave up a career as a scientist to pursue activism because she said she sees science as fundamental to a proper education. But she said that over the years, she has found her fight to be much less about science and more about politics.

She earned a doctorate in physical anthropology from the University of Missouri and taught physical anthropology at the University of Kentucky. She served as president of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists from 2000-02 and was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Her book, Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction, was published in 2004 and released in paperback last year. For years, Scott has served as a spokesperson in support of evolution and has engaged in numerous debates on television, radio and in print.

In addition, she has been involved with some of the high-profile legal trials about the teaching of evolution in the classroom.

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, call 935-4620 or go online to assemblyseries.wustl.edu.