Science... Sort Of

This short special edition is a recording of the speech I gave to a group at a rally on April 14, 2012 opposing HB0386 and supporting good science education in TN. My open letter to the governor is available here, and the following is a transcript of my speech: My name is Ryan Haupt, I'm a graduate student at Vanderbilt University. I came to Nashville specifically to study how species evolve in response to climate change, so this bill hits very close to home. I was raised in a state where evolution and other "controversial topics" were not taught in schools, but in my home I was taught to question everything, so by actively taking courses that challenged me in college, I was able to learn about evolution and its role in the natural world. This knowledge inflamed a passion that has driven me to dedicate my life to the study of science, and the exploration of the natural world through the scientific method. However, my story is likely the exception, not the rule. I should not have had to wait until college t