NDSU’s Darwin Day Teaches Community About Life Sciences

The biology department celebrates Charles Darwin's birthday

FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State University’s biology department celebrated Charles Darwin’s birthday today with Darwin Day.

“Darwin Day started to become really popular about 2009, when it would’ve been Darwin’s 200th birthday. I think that people are also trying to bring awareness about science,” said Kendra Greenlee, a biological science professor.

Plants, snakes, and even some dancing dinosaurs—they were all there as students and professors gathered to educate the public on all types of life science.

They say the goal was to get people excited about science and not look at it as a boring subject.

“The stereotype of, ‘oh it’s boring,’ ‘it’s just science,’ you know, it’s like, no, we have fun. It’s something you can be passionate about. There’s an art form to it. It isn’t just one side of your brain it’s connecting everything in its totality,” said Sara Gibbs, a geology student.

Hundreds of people of all ages have come through to look at the research and presentations. Interactive booths let them get up close with all sorts of living beings.

Even though some of the animals might seem a little scary, students want people to know that they’re not all that intimidating.

“Snakes and lizards and everything like that aren’t big scary creatures. Obviously, as you can see here he’s as tame as a puppy dog. He’s not going to bite, he’s not going to strangle me in my sleep or anything like that. I feel like snakes and other reptiles are really misunderstood,” said Justin Stewart, a zoology major.

NDSU has been holding Darwin Days for eight years and hopes to keep expanding it in the future.