Elizabeth Jones is the world expert on the story of the science behind Jurassic Park. She interviewed the geneticists who competed to accomplish and claim credit for the science of ancient DNA.
STS 490 will explore how science is connected to celebrity and the ways that scientists engage with popular audiences. Competition, jealousy, and the desire for fame were important motivators in some of the most exciting and important scientific discoveries. This is a rare opportunity for students from all disciplines to engage with a world expert on a topic that is both fun and exciting.
The only prerequisite is sophomore standing. Students from every major are welcome.
Elizabeth Jones holds the Ph.D. in Science and Technology Studies from University College London. She is a researcher at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and is writing Ancient DNA: The History and Celebrity of a Science in the Spotlight, for Yale University Press.