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	Year of Science 2009 announces January 3, 2009 launch event in conjunction with annual meeting of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology. University of Connecticut launches Year of Science Web site.

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	Celebrate!

A Celebration of How We Know What We Know

Welcome to the celebration of 2009 as the Year of Science, a national year-long celebration of science to engage the public in science and improve public understanding about how science works, why it matters, and who scientists are.

Before you begin, we recommend that you register your organization as a member of the COPUS Network. By registering, your organization becomes a part of the communication and collaboration network locally and nationally and your activities will be highlighted!

Explore

Browse the public understanding of science program and resources directory to discover innovative programs of your peers.

In 2009, Year of Science participants will be celebrating science and seminal events in science, which include:

• Darwin Day — This annual international celebration will have added value in 2009 as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th Anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species.
• The 200th anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (whose contributions to science include founding the National Academy of Sciences, as well as creating the Land grant system of agricultural colleges through signing the Morrill Act, which was very important to the development of applied biological sciences).
• The 400th anniversary of the publication of Johannes Kepler’s first two Laws of Planetary Motion.
• The 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Burgess Shale by the paleontologist Charles D. Walcott.
• The 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first use of a telescope to study the skies.
• The 100th anniversary of the establishment of USDA Forest Service Experimental Forest and Ranges, the largest system of dedicated experimental sites in the US.

Other community wide celebrations of science in 2009 include:

• International Year of Astronomy
• International Year of Planet Earth

You can help us to add to this list! Email .

Explore what others in the world are doing to celebrate Year of Science 2009

Empower

Team up! As you make your plans for celebrating in 2009, collaborate with other Coalition members in your community or start a regional hub:

• Find other Coalition members near you.
• Learn more about regional hubs: what they are, if there is one near you, or how to start your own.

Engage

Engage in some completely new activity. Consider hosting a Science Café, holding a science photography contest, or rallying your community around a citizen science activity. There are many more suggestions to help inspire you or you can try a themed approach!

 

Tips to Consider

Don’t do it alone! Find out what else is going on in your area and how you can combine resources to reach a broader audience and provide a richer experience.

Register your programs and events with COPUS so that others can learn from your experiences! And then explore the COPUS and Year of Science 2009 websites for other ideas.

 

The Year of Science 2009 celebrations are led by participants in the Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science (COPUS).
To learn more about COPUS visit http://www.copusproject.org