Robert T. Pennock

ROBERT T. PENNOCK is University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University, where he is on the faculty of Lyman Briggs College, the Departments of Philosophy and Computer Science & Engineering, and the Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior program.

His research involves empirical and philosophical questions that relate to evolutionary biology, cognitive science, and the scientific character, such as the evolution of altruism, complexity, and intelligence. His interdisciplinary philosophy of science work aims to help improve public understanding of science, to foster science ethics, and to advance STEM education nationally. He is a PI of the BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action and the Scientific Virtues Project. A national leader in evolution education, he was an expert witness in the historic Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School Board Intelligent Design creationism case, and he develops software and curricula to help students learn about evolution and the nature of science using digital organisms.

In recognition of his education and public outreach work, Pennock was named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Sigma Xi National Distinguished Lecturer, and a National Associate of the National Academies of Science, and has received a number of awards, including the National Center for Science Education’s Friend of Darwin Award and the American Institute of Biological Sciences Outstanding Service Award.

The author of over a hundred articles in philosophy, science, and education, his book Tower of Babel: The Evidence against the New Creationism was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. His latest book is An Instinct for Truth: Curiosity and the Moral Structure of Science. For more information, see https://msu.edu/~pennock5/.