An astronomer who sued University of Kentucky because he believed he was passed over for a job in 2007 because of his religious beliefs has reached a settlement with the school. UK has agreed to pay Martin Gaskell $125,000. Gaskell maintains that he was a leading candidate for the position of founding director for the universitys new observatory, until the review committee learned of his religious views which question evolution. Gaskell had been going around the country, giving lectures to college religious groups, telling them that there were "major flaws" in evolutionary theory. Read more
No one denies that astronomer Martin Gaskell was the leading candidate for the founding director of a new observatory at the University of Kentucky in 2007 - until his writings on evolution came to light. Gaskell had given lectures to campus religious groups around the country in which he said that while he has no problem reconciling the Bible with the theory of evolution, he believes the theory has major flaws. And he recommended students read theory critics in the intelligent-design movement. That stance alarmed UK science professors and, the university acknowledges, played a role in the job going to another candidate. Read more
This month's installment of the Kentucky SkyTalk series welcomes members of the general public to the University of Kentucky MacAdam Student Observatory for a night of learning and stargazing with Mike Cavagnero, chair of the UK College of Arts and Sciences Department of Physics and Astronomy. Cavagnero will speak on "Star Power: Einstein's Solar Engine." His approximately half-hour talk will take place at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 11, in 155 Chemistry-Physics Building. Read more