Evolution in Darwin’s Tangled Bank:
Tree, Coral or Web of Life?
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| Join us a cocktail hour, dinner, science quiz (with prizes!), and a presentation by Distinguished Professor J. Peter Gogarten at the… |
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18th Annual Darwin Day Dinner!
A Celebration of Curiosity, Science, and Scientists
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| In the final paragraph of The Origin of Species, Darwin contemplates a bank of land and all of the differing life forms that dwell on that bank—plants, birds, worms, etc. All of these various life forms were produced by the same set of natural laws. While the life forms are widely different from each other, they are also “dependent on each other in so complex a manner.”
Our guest of honor, Dr. Gogarten, will explore the symbiotic relationships and genetic exchange between different organisms in his presentation, followed by a fireside chat and audience Q&A. |
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Saturday, February 7th, 2026
5pm Cocktail Hour
6pm Dinner, Presentation, & Fireside Chat
The Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s
2748 Boston Post Road
Darien, CT 06820
$79 per person for the Early Bird rate
After January 16th, $90 per person |
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| For more information, including special student pricing*, alternative payment methods, and sponsorship opportunities contact Amy at info@darwindayct.org.
*Student pricing: Each year we invite local high school students who are passionate about science to join us for this celebration — and to help their tables with the Science Quiz! Their attendance is paid for by attendees and benefactors. When you register, please consider making a donation of any amount to facilitate this outreach. And bring your own students! |
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Dr. Johann Peter Gogarten is a German-American biologist studying the early evolution of life. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology and the International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life, a member of the CT Academy of Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut’s Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology/Microbiology and a former Fulbright scholar.
Born in Bad Oeynhausen, Germany, Dr. Gogarten studied plant physiology and membrane transport at the Universities of Tübingen and Giessen. In 1987 he moved to the U.S. as a postdoc to work at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He currently is Distinguished Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Connecticut.
Gogarten was the first person to root the Tree of life (biology) using an ancient gene duplication. Gogarten’s current focus is the evolution of homing endonuclease utilizing parasitic genetic elements (inteins) and the intertwining of selection occurring on the gene, population and the community level.
To Register – Use QR code or registration link below:
DarwinDayCT.org
