Steven Schafersman
{{short description|American paleontologist}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2016}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}}
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| name = Steven Schafersman
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| birth_name = Steven Dale Schafersman
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1948|11|04}}
| birth_place = Dumas, Texas, United States
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| occupation = Geologist
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| website = [http://www.badgeology.com www.BadGeology.com] (Defunct)
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Steven Dale Schafersman (born November 4, 1948) is an American geologist and current president of Texas Citizens for Science, an advocacy group that opposes teaching creationism as science in the public schools.{{cite news | title=New Eyes on Texas | url=http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2905 | publisher=Texas Observer | date=November 28, 2008 | access-date=December 26, 2008}}{{cite news | title=The God curriculum | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/04/07/smcreate07.xml&page=2 | publisher=The Telegraph | date= July 4, 2007 | access-date=December 26, 2008 | location=London | first=Sally | last=Williams}}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite news | title=Emotions rage at book hearing Dozens testify on what to say about | url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/SAEC/lib00210,0FD89400F1B19DBA.html | publisher=San Antonio Express-News | date=September 11, 2003 | access-date=December 26, 2008}} He is also known for his blog BadGeology.com.[http://www.badgeology.com www.BadGeology.com]
Biography
Schafersman holds a B.S. in Geology and Biology from Northern Illinois University, a M.S. in Geology, and a Ph.D. in Geology (1983) from Rice University.{{cite news | title=Academic | url=http://www.badgeology.com/academic.htm | publisher=badgeology.com | year=2008 | access-date=2008-12-26| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219072707/http://www.badgeology.com/academic.htm| archive-date=2012-02-19}} He currently resides in Midland, Texas with his wife Dr. Gae Kovalick, at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin professor of Biology.{{cite news | title=Access and Equity Committee | url=http://www.utpb.edu/faculty-staff/utpb-committees/ | publisher=University of Texas | year=2008 | access-date=2008-12-26| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213225314/http://www.utpb.edu/faculty-staff/utpb-committees/| archive-date=2014-02-13}} He specialized in invertebrate paleontology, stratigraphy, and sedimentary petrology.
Schafersman grew up collecting fossils, mushrooms, insects, rocks, minerals, and playing outdoors in Texas, Arkansas, and Illinois.
Schafersman taught at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (2000-2002), Miami University (Ohio) (1994-1999), University of Houston (1984-1989) and Houston Community College (1974-1978 and 1984-1994).
He has been a pro-science activist since 1989.{{cite news | title=EVOLUTION, 'CONTRARY' THEORIES OK'd FOR TEXTS | url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/DM/lib00377,0ED3D05E675C16C4.html | publisher=Dallas Morning News | date=March 11, 1989 | access-date=2008-12-26}}{{cite news | title=Biology texts are criticized For 1st time, books address evolution | url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/DM/lib00377,0ED3D11275E0B0D2.html | publisher=Dallas Morning News | date= July 11, 1990 | access-date=2008-12-26}}{{cite news | title=Education board gave in to creationists, scientist charges | author=Debbie Graves | url=http://docs.newsbank.com/g/GooglePM/AASB/lib00061,0EAD89548A580340.html | publisher=Austin American-Statesman | date= March 11, 1989 | access-date=2008-12-26}}
In addition, he created the [http://freeinquiry.com/ Free Inquiry] (defunct) website, dedicated to educating the public on humanism and skepticism and the Texas Citizens for Science website, committed to opposing the representation of religious concepts such as intelligent design and creationism as science in Texas textbooks. Schafersman contributes to a blog column for the Houston Chronicle at Evo.Sphere Blog.{{cite news | title=Education board gave in to creationists, scientist charges | author=Steven Schafersman | url=http://www.chron.com/commons/readerblogs/evosphere.html | publisher=Houston Chronicle | year= 2008 | access-date=2008-12-26| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805044019/http://www.chron.com/commons/readerblogs/evosphere.html| archive-date=2011-08-05}}
Texas State Board of Education
Schafersman works against the movement to revise the Texas State Board of Education science curriculum to include religious objections to evolution.
References
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External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20110805044019/http://www.chron.com/commons/readerblogs/evosphere.html Schafersman's blog] for the Houston Chronicle
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Category:20th-century American geologists
Category:American paleontologists
Category:American critics of creationism
Category:Rice University alumni
Category:Northern Illinois University alumni
Category:University of Texas Permian Basin faculty
Category:People from Dumas, Texas
Category:21st-century American geologists
Category:Scientists from Texas