PULLMAN, Wash. The newest addition to the popular Common Reading program at Washington State University — the “Common Reading Tuesdays” series starts today bringing some of the most compelling research on campus directly to the students.
Brian Kemp, molecular anthropologist and ancient DNA specialist, will meet with freshmen and others at 7 p.m. today in room 203 Smith Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE). His presentation, “Old Genes (Sometimes) Never Wear Out,” will explore the topic of DNA. Kemp, who had a Top 100 story in Discover magazine in 2007, examined the DNA in a 10,000-year-old man’s tooth found in an Alaskan cave and found evidence to shed new light onto when humans came to the Americas. He’s also used DNA to determine that most of the baby bodies buried under an Aztec temple were males, giving new answers and raising new questions about that ancient society.
Second in the Common Reading Tuesdays lineup will be Bethany Marshal, forensic ecologist. She will discuss “Putting a Timeline on Death” at 7 p.m. Sept. 9 in Smith CUE 203. Much like popular television scientist Gil Grissom, of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Marshall uses insects, plants, soil and pollen samples to determine how long a body has been dead. She trains law enforcement officials in forensic ecology, consults on cases and testifies in court.
The common reading for 2008, a book to be read by 3,400 WSU freshmen and used in dozens of first-year classes, is “Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers,” by San Francisco writer Mary Roach.
Roach will be the third speaker of the Common Reading Tuesdays series, presenting “May I Show You Our Whale Tapeworm? (Why I Love Research and You Should Too)” at 7 p.m. Sept. 16 in Beasley Auditorium.
“Common Reading Tuesdays are a fun and interesting way to combine lessons from this fall’s common reading book with the extensive research expertise here on our own campus,” said Susan Poch, associate vice president, Office of Student Achievement.
“There will be lectures, panels and plenty of opportunities for our newest students to meet and hear in person some of our outstanding researchers,” said Karen Weathermon, director of Learning Communities and Freshman Focus. “The community is also welcome to attend and all of the Common Reading Tuesdays events.”
For upcoming presentations and events, visit the Web site at commonreading.wsu.edu.
