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Event banner_Jonathan Wells_2025 (2400 x 700 px)
Date
Mar162025
March
03
Mar
16
16
2025
Time
14:00:00
Locale
Poulsbo, WA
Venue
North Point Church

Celebrating the Life & Legacy of Jonathan Wells

Join us for a special event commemorating the life and enduring impact of Jonathan Wells, a pioneering scholar in the field of intelligent design. Up until his recent passing in September, Dr. Wells made significant contributions to science and culture through his groundbreaking research, provocative writings, and deep commitment to intellectual inquiry.

With two PhDs—one in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California at Berkeley and one in Religious Studies from Yale University—Dr. Wells brought a unique perspective to his work, which included articles in respected journals like Development and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His books, including Icons of EvolutionZombie Science, and The Myth of Junk DNA, challenged prevailing scientific paradigms and sparked important conversations on the nature of evolutionary theory and intelligent design.

During this celebration of life, his son, Peter Wells, will share personal remembrances of his father. Close colleagues from the Discovery Institute—Paul NelsonRichard Sternberg, and Casey Luskin—will also reflect on Dr. Wells’ profound influence on the field and his legacy as a tireless advocate for scientific integrity and intellectual freedom.

This event is an opportunity to honor Dr. Wells’ contributions to science and culture, as we look to the future of his scholarly influence and the ongoing impact of his work. We invite you to join us in celebrating a life well-lived and a legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.

When

Sunday, March 16, 2025
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Where

North Point Church
1779 NE Hostmark St
Poulsbo, WA 98370

Contact

Kate Kavanaugh
kkavanaugh@discovery.org
(206) 826-5532

Speakers

Casey Luskin

Associate Director and Senior Fellow, Center for Science and Culture
Casey Luskin is a geologist and an attorney with graduate degrees in science and law, giving him expertise in both the scientific and legal dimensions of the debate over evolution. He earned his PhD in Geology from the University of Johannesburg, and BS and MS degrees in Earth Sciences from the University of California, San Diego, where he studied evolution extensively at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. His law degree is from the University of San Diego, where he focused his studies on First Amendment law, education law, and environmental law.

Paul Nelson

Senior Fellow, Center for Science and Culture
Paul A. Nelson is currently a Senior Fellow of Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture and Adjunct Professor in the Master of Arts Program in Science & Religion at Biola University. He is a philosopher of biology who has been involved in the intelligent design debate internationally for three decades. His grandfather, Byron C. Nelson (1893-1972), a theologian and author, was an influential mid-20th century dissenter from Darwinian evolution. After Paul received his B.A. in philosophy with a minor in evolutionary biology from the University of Pittsburgh, he entered the University of Chicago, where he received his Ph.D. (1998) in the philosophy of biology and evolutionary theory.

Richard Sternberg

Senior Fellow, Center for Science and Culture
Richard Sternberg is an evolutionary biologist with interests in the relation between genes and morphological homologies, and the nature of genomic “information.” He holds two Ph.D.'s: one in Biology (Molecular Evolution) from Florida International University and another in Systems Science (Theoretical Biology) from Binghamton University. From 2001-2007, he served as a staff scientist at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, and from 2001-2007 was a Research Associate at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Dr. Sternberg is presently a research scientist at the Biologic Institute, supported by a research fellowship from the Center for Science and Culture at Discovery Institute. He is also a Research Collaborator at the National Museum of Natural History.