Shadow of a Doubt Bulletins for Coming and Past NCAS Events


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Browse our calendar of NCAS events and other noteworthy activities.
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On the day of the event, you may call 301 587-3827 to hear whether there are any last minute program changes, due to weather, etc.

Coming NCAS Events -- Please Mark your Calendar Now


May
2011

       
May 27-30, NCAS Talks at Balticon 45
The Baltimore Science Fiction Society presents Balticon 45, the Maryland
Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, on Memorial Day weekend
(May 27-30, 2011) at the Baltimore Marriott Hunt Valley Inn (245 Shawan Rd,
Hunt Valley, MD). As always, Balticon will include science programs, at least
four of which will feature skeptic-related topics. NCAS president Marv
Zelkowitz will discuss the alleged link between vaccines and autism. NCAS
board member Bing Garthright will talk about significantly harmful
consequences of dowsing. Geologist and "Doubtful" blogger Sharon Hill
will present "Being Sciencey," and musician/podcaster George Hrab will also
give a talk (topic to be announced). For more information, visit balticon.org.



 

Shadow of a Doubt Archives & Past NCAS Events

Shadow
Event
May
2011
Saturday, May 7, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Surviving the Age of Bad Information: A Skeptic's Reflections
Joel Achenbach, Washington Post Staff Writer
At this event NCAS honors Joel Achenback
with the 2011 Philip J. Klass Award
for outstanding contributions in promoting critical thinking
and scientific understanding.
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
(Flyer(Program Brochure)
Refreshments & Socializing until 3:45 pm
Apr
2011
Saturday, April 2, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Teaching Critical Thinking Skills -- In the Trenches
Dr. Alan Peel, Ph.D., Co-Director, Department of Astronomy
7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD
Near Bethesda metro (map) (directions)

Refreshments & Socializing after the talk

Mar
2011 
Saturday, Mar 12, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Who Invented Beauty -- Madison Avenue or Darwin?
Elisabeth Cornwell, Ph.D.,    
Executive Director of the U.S. branch of the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Science and Reason (RDFRS)
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
(Flyer)
Refreshments & Socializing until 3:45 pm
Saturday, Feb 12, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
U.S. Science Education and Global Competiveness
Bruce A. Fuchs, Ph.D.
Director of the NIH Office of Science Education

National Science Foundation, Room 110 

4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
(Flyer)
Refreshments & Socializing until 3:45 pm
Jan
2011
 
Saturday, Jan 8, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Reporters: Fair, Balanced and Gullible?
Bob Hirshon, Senior Project Director in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Principal Investigator for the NSF-supported Kinetic City project
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
(Flyer)
Refreshments & Socializing until 3:45 pm
Dec
2010
Saturday, Dec 11, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Arboreal Mind: Finding Self in Nerve Cell Branching
Giorgio Ascoli, Ph.D., Computational Neuroanatomy Group 
Krasnow Institute for Advanced Study 
George Mason University, VA 
National Science Foundation, Room 110 

4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
(Flyer)
Refreshments & Socializing until 3:45 pm
Nov
2010
Saturday, Nov 20, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Nov 20 Physicist John Mather NCAS Talk at NSF:
Big Bang, Webb Space Telescope & Alien Life

John C. Mather, Nobel Laureate Physicist
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Observational Cosmology Laboratory
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
(Flyer)
Oct
2010
Saturday, Oct 9, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Making Informed Decisions about Dietary Supplements:
Efficacy, Safety and Quality

Paul Thomas, Ed.D.
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD 
Near Bethesda metro
(map) (directions) (flyer)
Sep
2010
Saturday, Sep 18, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Is the Radiation From Your Cell Phone a Health Hazard?  Risk vs. Reality
Prof. Christopher Davis, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Maryland
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD 
Near Bethesda metro
(map) (directions)  Flyer  (Video)

May
2010
Saturday, May 8, 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Quantum Mechanics & "Spooky Action at a Distance" 
Prof. Allen Stairs, University of Maryland,  Philosophy Department, Associate Chair

Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD 
Near Bethesda metro
(map) (directions
Apr
2010
Saturday, April 24 , 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
A Conversation with Ray Hyman, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, University of Oregon
Prof. Hyman received the NCAS Philip J. Klass Award 2010
Special Guest D.J. Grothe, President, James Randi Education Foundation

National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Mar
2010
Saturday, March 20, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Hearing Through the Smoke and Mirrors
Poppy Crum, Ph.D., Research Scientist in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Johns Hopkins Medical School
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Feb
2010
Saturday, February 20, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Neuroscience -- Brains, Minds, and Selves:
What is it like to be a bat, and what does it matter?
 
James Giordano PH.D, M.Phil., Director of the Center for Neurotechnology Studies, and chair of Academic Programs at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Arlington, VA
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (
Map)

Jan
2010
Saturday, Jan 9, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Faith-based Initiatives and Charitable Choice
Toni Van Pelt Vice President,
Center for Inquiry and
Director, Office of Public Policy
National Science Foundation, Room 110
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
Dec 2009 Saturday, December 12, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Best Available Science: A Process for Evaluating the Validity & Applicability of Scientific Findings to Decision Making
Dennis K. McBride, Ph.D. Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Georgetown University Medical School Public Policy Institute
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
Nov 2009 Saturday, November 14, 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm
The Art of Science: Scientific Methods vs Pseudoscience
Marvin Zelkowitz, Professor Emeritus and Research Professor in the Computer Science Department at the University of Maryland
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)
Oct
2009
Saturday, October 24, 1 pm - 5:30 pm - Public - Tickets online or at Door
Science, Magic and Skepticisim - Workshops
Lead by Jamy Ian Swiss, D.J. Grothe, Chip Denman
AAAS Auditorium 1200 New York Avenue NW Washington, DC
Near Metro Center (map)

Oct
2009
Saturday, October 24, 7:30 pm - Public - Tickets online or at Door
Jamy Ian Swiss - Heavy Mental - One Night Only
AAAS Auditorium 1200 New York Avenue NW Washington, DC
Near Metro Center (map)

Oct
2009
Saturday, October 10, 1:30 pm - Public & Free
The Cosmos in Your Pocket
William T. Bridgman, Ph.D., Physics & Astronomy from Clemson University
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD 
Near Bethesda metro
(map) (directions
Sep
2009
Saturday, September 19, 1:30 pm - Public & Free
Superstition: Belief in the Age of Science
Robert Park, Ph.D., Professor of Physics, University of Maryland
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD 
Near Bethesda metro
(map) (directions) (flyer)
May
2009
Saturday, May 9, 1:30 pm - Public & Free
Therapeutic Touch: Fifth Force or Myth?
Professor Eugenie V. Mielczarek, Emeritus
Department of Physics, George Mason University

Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD
Near Bethesda metro (map) (directions)
Apr
2009
Friday, Apr 10 - 11:30 am Luncheon (Flyer)
NCAS 2009 Philip J. Klass Award Presentation to CFI's Paul Kurtz, Ph.D.
At the Center For Inquiry's 12th World Congress, Bethesda, MD
Luncheon registration was at
www.centerforinquiry.net/worldcongress
Award Memorabilia: Program, Flyer, Photos, Video, Poster, Transcript

Tuesday, April 14, 7:30 pm - Public & Free (Flyer)
The Truth About Psychic Detectives
Benjamin Radford, Skeptical Inquirer Managing Editor
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD (near Bethesda metro)

Mar
2009
Saturday, Mar 21, 1:30 pm Public & FREE
Myths (and Realities!) About Hydrogen Fuel
Rene Carlos, Advanced Composites Group,
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Feb
2009
Saturday, Feb 14, 1:30 pm Public & FREE
Darwin at 200 Years, Human Nature at a Few Million Years,
and a socio-legal myth undermined at 40 Years

Dennis K. McBride, Ph.D.
Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, Georgetown University Medical School Public Policy Institute
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Jan
2009
Saturday, Jan 10, 1:30 pm Public & FREE  
How Statistics are Misunderstood in the Media and Society
Rebecca Goldin, Ph.D., STATS.org
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Dec
2008
Saturday, Dec 13, 1:30 pm Public & FREE
Understanding Creationism
Mary McCutcheon, Ph.D., George Mason University (Retired)
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Nov
2008
Saturday, Nov 8, 1:30 pm Public & FREE
Autism & Vaccines: How Bad Science Confuses the Press & Harms the Public
Steven Salzberg, Ph.D., University of Maryland,
Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Oct
2008
Saturday, Oct 11, 1:30 pm Public & FREE 
Defining Normal: Sex and Gender Misconceptions
Karen North
(Handouts)
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD (near Bethesda metro)

Sep
2008
Saturday, Sep 13, 1:30 pm Public & FREE
The Alien Grey: An Unnatural History
Richard Dengrove
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD (near Bethesda metro)

May 2008 Saturday, May 10, 2 - 4 pm
Global Warming: An Update
Stuart Jordan, Ph.D.
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD (near Bethesda metro)

Apr 2008 Friday, April 18, 1 - 3 pm  Public & FREE
Framing Science: Conflict & Consensus in Public Communication
Matthew  Nisbet, Ph.D.
(Prior Registration Required -- It's Easy)
National Science Foundation, Room 375 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (map)

Mar 2008 Saturday, March 8, 2 - 4 pm Public & FREE (Flyer)
The Lingering Death of Superstition
Robert L. Park, Ph.D.
Former University of Maryland Department of Physics Chair
Will receive the 2008 NCAS Philip J. Klass Award 
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (Map)

Feb 2008 Saturday, February 9, 2 - 4 pm Public & FREE (Flyer)
Postmodernism vs. Science vs. Fundamentalism
Stephen Brush, D. Phil.
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (map)

Jan 2008 Saturday, January 12, 2 - 4 pm (Flyer)
Michael Shermer, Ph.D.
"The Mind of the Market" (irrationalities in economics), his coming book
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (map)

Dec 2007 Saturday, December 8, 2 - 4 pm
Examining the Culture of Free Energy Claimants
Eric Krieg, Philadelphia Association for Critical Thinking (PhACT)
National Science Foundation, Room 110 
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (map)

Nov 2007 Saturday, November 10, 2 - 4 pm
From Noah’s Ark to the Ark of the Covenant and Beyond: Junk Science, Amateur Enthusiasts, and Irresponsible Documentary Film-makers
Eric Cline, Ph.D.
National Science Foundation, Room 110
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA (map)

Oct 2007 Saturday, October 20, 2 - 4 pm
Beamed Aboard a UFO by a Psychic Sasquatch ...
Understanding Paranormal Belief in the 21st Century
 
Rick Wood
, host of Audiomartini.com (Curious Paranormal Radio)
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD (near Bethesda metro)

Sep
2007
Too Good to Be False:
Memorandum 46 and Other Race-based Urban Legends
Casey Lartigue, Jr. 
Saturday, September 8, 2 - 4 pm
 FREE
Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD (near Metro)

June
2007
The Comprehensible Cosmos: Where Do the Laws of Physics Come From?
Victor J. Stenger, PhD  (Details)
Thursday, June 14 7:30 pm
Bethesda Library

May
2007
Applying the Scientific Method to Testing CAM Modalities
Robert Clarke, PhD, DSc (Details)
Saturday, May 12, 2:00 - 4:00 pm Bethesda Library

Apr
2007
The Moon: A New Destination for Humanity? Answers for Skeptics
Paul D. Spudis, PhD
Saturday, Apr 14, 2:00 - 4:00 pm Bethesda Library, Bethesda, MD
Mar
2007
NCAS 20th Anniversary Celebration
Speaker: James Randi -- "Beware: Skeptic on the Loose!"
MC: Jamy Ian Swiss
Sunday, Mar 18 1:00 pm - Aiton Auditorium, National  Conference Center
7100 Connecticut Ave, Chevy Chase, MD (map)

Brunch with James Randi & NCAS -- $30 Admission
Sunday, Mar 18 11 am - 1230 pm
Jackie's Restaurant , Silver Spring  

Feb
2007
Imaginary Weapons: A Journey Through the Pentagon's Scientific Underworld
Sat, Feb  10,  2:30- 4:30 pm - Sharon Weinberger
Tysons-Pimmit Library, Falls Church, VA
Veteran defense reporter Sharon Weinberger will discuss and sign her book about the Pentagon's latest new levels of fringe-science wackiness: antimatter weapons, psychics, telepathy, nuclear hand grenades, and more.
Attendees get a Free NCAS 20th Anniversary "Prove It!" button

Jan
2007
Restoring Science Integrity in Washington
Sat, Jan 13 2:00 - 3:30 pm - Mike Stebbins, Ph.D.
Bethesda Library, Bethesda, MD (flyer)
Dr. Stebbins will explain the mission of the newly formed Scientists and Engineers for America to promote the proper role of science and evidence-based debate and decision making in American government and our political process.

Dec
2006
Germ Frenzy! - Hype and Reality  (Flyer)
Sat, Dec  9, 2:30- 4:30 pm -  Karl Roberts, Ph.D., P.G. Community College
Tysons-Pimmit Library, 7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA (Map & Directions)

Nov
2006
Objectivism & Skepticism: A Good Match?
Sat, Nov 11, 2:30- 4:30 pm - Dr. Ed Hudgins, Objectivist Center Exec Director
Tysons-Pimmit Library, 7584 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA (Map & Directions)
Free NCAS 20th Anniversary That's Nice, Prove It! button to all at this event.
Read full item

Oct
2006
Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design
Talk & book signing by Michael Shermer,
Exec Director of the Skeptics Society
Thu, Oct 12, 7 pm Oakton High School, Vienna, VA  (event flyer)
Book sale and signing is 7 :00 pm to 7:30 pm. Program starts at 7:30 pm.
Co-sponsored with the Alliance for Science

Sep
2006
Veritas Vioxx: Looking at Junk Science & Junk Justice
Roberta Shaffer
, Executive Director, Federal Library and Information
Center, Library of Congress
Sat, Sep 9, 2:30- 4:30 pm Tysons-Pimmit Library, Falls Church, VA
New location and time. 
May 2006 Junk Science / Junk Justice (Rescheduled for Sep 9, 2006)
Roberta Shaffer, Executive Director, Federal Library and Information Center, Library of Congress
Apr 2006 Psi Perceptions and the Sensitive Personality
Michael Jawer, Independent Researcher
Mar 2006 Positively Skeptical: A Way of Knowing 
Prof. Marv Zelkowitz
, Computer Science, University of Maryland
Feb 2006 Positively Skeptical: A Way of Knowing  (rescheduled due to weather)
Prof. Marv Zelkowitz
, Computer Science, University of Maryland
Jan 2006 The Evolution of Creationism:
What's Next in the Debate Over Intelligent Design
Rob Boston, Assistant Director of Communications, Americans United for Separation of Church and State
Dec 2005 The Great Moon  Hoax of 1835: A New Take
Richard Dengrove, Librarian, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Nov 2005 "We Died at Such a Place" -- The Interaction of Battlefield Archaeology and Forensic Science
Walter Rowe, PhD.
, Department of Forensic Sciences, George Washington University
Oct
2005
Teaching Skepticism in a Physical Science Class for Non-Science Majors
Mike Epstein, Chemist, Mt Saint Mary's University
Sep 2005 A Modest Tribute to Philip J. Klass
Scott Snell, NCAS board member, with Chip Denman and Jim Giglio, in a remembrance of the role of Phil Klass in starting NCAS, as well as a reprise of some of the best examples of his skeptical investigative work.
Jun 2005 The American Flag in History and Myth, June 11, 2005
Peter Ansoff
, President, American Vexilological Association
Apr
2005
APRIL ANTI-FOOLS (Special Event)
A day-long seminar with:
Jamy Ian Swiss, magician: "The Honest Liar";  
Todd Robbins
, sideshow historian and performer;
James Taylor
, sideshow historian/curator;
Brian Morton, Baltimore City Paper columnist and magician;
Dr. Eileen Abels, University of MD, Information Studies
And an evening of
magic and psychic power illusions by Jamy Ian Siwss
Mar 2005 Looks Like NEW: Advertising Cosmetics to Teens
Sonia Velasco, University of Maryland Honors Program.

Looks Like NEWS: Panel discussion of Peter Jennings UFO special
Marv Zelkowitz and Scott Snell
NCAS Board Members
Feb 2005 The Bible Code
Josh FixlerUniversity of Maryland Honors Program

Imaginary Companions
Mari Elise-Gates, University of Maryland Honors Program
Jan 2005 MICHAEL SERVETUS: Death by Fire!
Neil Inglis
, NCAS Board Member
Dec 2004 Crazy Ideas in Science
Robert Ehrlich, physicist, George Mason University
Nov 2004 Mysterious Delusions: Witchcraft in Salem Village
Walter Rowe, forensic scientist, George Washington University; NCAS Board Member
Oct 2004 The Universe on a T-shirt: The quest for the Theory of Everything
Dan Falk, Science Journalist
Sep 2004 Trauma Society: Meaning and Uses of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Sally Satel, M.D., Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
May 2004 Malaria & AIDS Countermeasures in the Developing World: Policies that work, policies that don’t, and why
Roger Bate, PhD., American Enterprise Institute
Apr 2004 Good News & Bad News: What the public knows and believes about science
Melissa Pollak, National Science Foundation

Mar 2004 Art Becomes Reality (Weekend Workshop)
Hands-on activities & presentations
Feb 2004 Pseudoscience & Skepticism in Journalism
Heather Keels, University of Maryland Honors Program

Cold Fusion 
John Mularski, University of Maryland Honors Program
Jan 2004 Exhumations: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
James Starrs, PhD, George Washington University
Dec 2003 A hard look at the DC sniper investigation
On the series of random murders in the Washington DC area in 2002.
Susan R. Paisner, criminologist and free-lance journalist
Nov 2003 Understanding Biblical (In)Accuracy
Explains a theory based on current archaeological evidence that the bible is incorrect and that kings David and Solomon never existed
Marvin Zelkowitz, Professor of Computer Science, University of Maryland
Oct 2003 The case of the Tichborne Heir
An interesting case study in the persistence of a false belief system in the face of overwhelming contrary evidence.
Walter Rowe, Professor of Forensic Science, George Washington University 
Jun 2003 Lucky Day: National Capital Area Skeptics Friday the 13th Superstition-Free Celebration featuring close-up magic by Brian "The Lies of Brian" Morton. Informal get together from 6 - 8 pm at the Mayorga coffee bar in Silver Spring, Maryland.
May 2003 Bad Medicine: Health Myths and Quack Alternative Medicine
Chris Wanjek, Science Journalist
All available prior Shadow of a Doubt bulletins back to 1994 can be found at this page.

A list of prior NCAS lectures and events back to March 1987 is at this page.