Press Release

“WHAT WILL WE EAT? GENETICS AND FOOD” PROGRAM OCTOBER 28 AT THE NOTEBAERT NATURE MUSEUM

The Illinois Humanities Council presents the second program in their series: “Future Perfect: Conversations on the Meaning of the Genetics Revolution”

CHICAGO – Advances in the genetic modification of food create opportunities for us to improve the food supply, address malnutrition and hunger, and reduce the use of pesticides. How will these advances affect the overall composition of our food supply—for better or for worse? What is the potential for genetically modified foods to address nutritional deficiencies in populations facing extreme poverty? Come join a lively conversation with a panel of representatives from the scientific, philosophical, and culinary communities as they consider how and to what extent we should modify our food and who will eat it.

What Will We Eat? Genetics and Food” will take place on Saturday, October 28 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 P.M. at the Notebaert Nature Museum (South Gallery, 2430 N. Cannon Dr., Chicago). “What Will We Eat?” is presented in partnership with the Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago’s Green City Market, and Slow Food Chicago.

The speakers for this program are Jocelyn Malamy, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, and Vivian Weil, Ph.D., Director, Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions, Illinois Institute of Technology. Bruce Kraig, Ph.D., President, Culinary Historians of Chicago and Lecturer, Kendall College Culinary School, will moderate this discussion.

This event is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. To make reservations or for more information, contact the IHC at 312.422.5580 or send an email to ihc@prairie.org. This event is wheelchair accessible.

From September 2006 to September 2007, the Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) presents Future Perfect: Conversations on the Meaning of the Genetics Revolution around the state — in Carbondale, Chicago, Decatur, Galesburg, Jacksonville, Lewistown, and Peoria — to increase public knowledge of genetics by engaging Illinoisans in conversations about the genetics revolution and its impact on the individual and on society. Programs feature scholars, scientists, ethicists, artists, medical professionals, and philosophers as guest speakers. For a full calendar of events or for more information, please visit www.prairie.org/Genetics.

Future Perfect” is funded in part by grants from the Motorola Foundation and The Boeing Company. Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ 91.5) and Illinois Channel are media sponsors for “Future Perfect.”

The Illinois Humanities Council is a nonprofit educational organization [501 (c) 3] dedicated to fostering a culture in which the humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities. Organized in 1973 as the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the IHC creates programs and funds organizations that promote greater understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the humanities. The IHC is supported by state, federal, and private funds.

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