"In honor of the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the West Texas A&M University Distinguished Lecture Series and the Department of History will host Dr. Jason Scott Robert and his presentation, “Science and Its Monsters: Frankenstein for the 21st Century,” at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17 in Legacy Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Robert’s lecture will focus on Frankenstein, using his expertise as co-editor of Frankenstein: Annotated for Scientists, Engineers, and Creators of All Kinds. This unique edition of Mary Shelley’s 1818 classic includes annotations and essays by Robert and other scholars exploring various aspects of scientific creativity from social and ethical perspectives. Although the original novel is often viewed as a work of romanticism or groundbreaking science fiction, this piece, which has been called one of the most thought-provoking novels ever written, focuses on the author’s incorporation of contemporary scientific developments. Through this, it specifically addresses fundamental questions of creativity and responsibility, sparking the interest of readers in fields such as science and engineering.
Robert, an associate professor at the Arizona State University (ASU) School of Life Sciences, serves as director of the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics at ASU and holds the Lincoln Chair in Ethics. As a bioethicist and philosopher of biology, Robert’s research and teaching strives to discover science that is both efficacious and ethical. As a professor, Robert combats reductionist tendencies in biological/biomedical science and ethics with the goal of thoroughly exploring the complex biological and moral functions of the human race. His published works include pieces on topics ranging from stem cells, Parkinson's disease and developmental biology to cloning, schizophrenia and genetics. Additionally, in his position as director of the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, Robert aids in fostering a learning environment where students, faculty and staff can strive to create good in the world around them.
For more information Robert’s presentation at WTAMU, contact Dr. Elizabeth Clark at eclark@wtamu.edu or visit wtamu.edu/dls."
-West Texas A&M University
