小蝌蚪APP

Learn Where Anti-Vaccine Movement Began at Mobile Science Caf茅

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Posted on September 21, 2015

Joy Washington

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An innovative program known as Science Caf茅s will return to share engaging conversation in the fields of science and humanities. The sponsor of the upcoming events is the 小蝌蚪APP鈥檚 Archaeology Museum, and the host location for all events will be the OK Bicycle Shop at 661 Dauphin Street in Mobile.

The conversations will be about issues that matter, and it will be held in a casual and non-academic environment. The traditional format includes a 30-45 minute talk, followed by a 15-30 minute open discussion. This format has spread around the globe, successfully adapting to different cultures and audiences. The Archaeology Museum鈥檚 initiative is to increase community interaction with members of the University鈥檚 faculty.

The first Mobile Science Caf茅 of the fall semester is 鈥淭he Polio Express - Real Talk about Vaccines and the Origins of the Anti-Vax Movement鈥� to be facilitated by Dr. Glen Borchert, USA assistant professor of biology, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 22. The program is co-sponsored by the Mobile Medical Museum and the OK Bicycle Shop. The discussion will be about the MMR vaccine controversy that started in 1998 with the publication of a fraudulent research paper in the medical journal, 鈥淭he Lancet,鈥� that lent support to the later-discredited claim that colitis and autism spectrum disorders are linked to the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates.

The upcoming Science Caf茅s for October and November are the following:     

• 鈥淚t Ain鈥檛 Easy Seeing Green: Preventing Plant Blindness鈥� will be facilitated by Dr. Brian Axsmith, professor of biology. The Oct. 20 event will begin at 6 p.m.

• 鈥淜ids These Days: The Rise (and Fall?) of Narcissism in America鈥檚 Youth鈥� will be facilitated by Dr. Joshua Foster, associate professor, behavior and brain sciences in the department of psychology at USA. The event will be held Nov. 10 at 6 p.m. 

鈥�I am happy to start this series again,鈥� said Barbara Filion, associate director of the USA Archaeology Museum. 鈥淢any people have been asking for the program to return. It鈥檚 exciting to see such enthusiasm and interest about it.鈥�

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