The Center for Science Writings
About the Center for Science Writings
Launched in 2005, the Center for Science Writings (CSW) hosts talks by authors of books on pressing science-related issues, from climate change to mental illness. Speakers—be they scientists, humanities scholars or journalists—deliver free, public lectures each and every semester.
The CSW is part of the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.
The founder and director of the CSW is veteran science journalist John Horgan, author of the bestseller “The End of Science” and other books. A long-time writer for Scientific American, he also comments on science-related issues on his website
Upcoming Talks
The Center for Science Writings has scheduled two talks for the spring 2025 semester.
Is Our Planet Alive?
Wednesday, February 26, 3-4 PM EST, via Zoom
Science journalist Ferris Jabr, contributing writer for The NY Times Magazine, will discuss his acclaimed book Becoming Earth: How Our Planet Came to Life, which reports on discoveries forcing scientists to rethink the relationship between life and planet Earth. Reviewers have hailed the book as a “masterwork of journalism” that “earns its place alongside the best of today’s essential popular science books, as well as acknowledged classics.
When Science and Politics Clash
Wednesday, March 26, 3-4 PM EST, via Zoom
Distinguished science journalist Laura Helmuth will discuss her recent, embattled tenure as editor-in-chief of Scientific American, during which she criticized Trump’s science policies and endorsed Biden and Harris for President. Helmuth, former science editor for The Washington Post and Slate, will offer thoughts on how science and journalism can remain “objective” in a politically polarized era.
Faculty Interviews
John Horgan also carries out Zoom interviews with HASS colleagues to learn more about their research and publications.
Recent interviews featured science historian Samantha Muka, author of “Oceans Under Glass”; philosopher Gregory Morgan, author of “Cancer Virus Hunters”; and philosopher Michael Steinmann, author of “Reframing Ethics Through Dialectics.”
Past Speakers
Past speakers at the Center for Science writings include world-renowned intellectuals: neurologist Oliver Sacks; psychologist Steven Pinker; historian Naomi Oreskes; philosophers Martha Nussbaum and Kwame Anthony Appiah; geographer Jared Diamond; biologist Edward O. Wilson; oceanographer Sylvia Earle; economist Jeffrey Sachs; risk analyst Nassim Nicholas Taleb; physicist Sabine Hossenfelder; and social activist Naomi Klein.
Note to Students
A note to Stevens freshmen taking introductory engineering courses: be sure to talk to your professors about the Center for Science Writings, as many grant credit for attending select events.
Contact
For more information about the Center for Science Writings, contact John Horgan at [email protected].