March 2001

Halting the world's leading cause of preventable blindness

Dr. James Zingeser, Dr. James Zingeser, senior epidemiologist for The Carter Center's health programs, discussed the center's Trachoma Control Program (trachoma is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness) and some of the Carter Center's other international health programs. The meeting was held on March 28, 2001, at The Carter Center.

January 2001

The conflict between culture and biology

Our bodies may be more adapted to a Stone Age environment than to the world we live in today, believes Dr. Neal Smith of the Emory University Department of Anthropology. Traits such as hypervigilence, which adapted us well to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, may ill-equip us for today’s linear approach to life.

Dr. Smith discussed Darwinian evolutionary theory in his talk, “The Conflict between Culture and Biology: Are We a Paleolithic Anachronism.” He also covered current theories that a mismatch between the hardwiring of our brains and our modern environment may be responsible for an increasing incidence of some forms of mental illness.

Neal Smith received his doctorate in anthropology from Ohio State in 1977. He has been a member of the Emory Anthropology Department since 1976 and is currently an associate professor.

The meeting was held in the Rita Ann Rollins Room of the Grace Crum Rollins Building on the Emory campus.

December 2000

Are you Prepared to live to 120?

Dr. Larry Minnix alerted us to the biomedical, economic, social, and ethical issues that are emerging in our aging society. We're living longer and getting healthier. Technology is becoming an increasingly important intervention in the aging process.

Dr. Minnix is the incoming president and chief executive officer of Washington, DC-based American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA). AAHSA represents more than 5,600 nonprofit organizations that serve an estimated one million older people. He was president and CEO of Wesley Woods Geriatric Center at Emory University for 27 years. The meeting was held at Wesley Woods Geriatric Center on December 5, 2000.