Brave Genius: A Scientist’s Journey from the French Resistance to the Nobel Prize

About this event

The Genetics and Genomics Academy is excited to host Sean B. Carroll for a discussion and lecture drawing from his book Brave Genius: A Scientist, a Philosopher, and Their Daring Adventures from the French Resistance to the Nobel Prize about the lives and work of biochemist Jacques Monod and philosopher Albert Camus during the Nazi occupation of France. This will be from 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm in Hunt Library with a reception and Q&A session to follow. This event is open to the public and you do not have to have read Brave Genius to attend.

ABSTRACT:

In the spring of 1940, the zoology graduate student Jacques Monod and the aspiring but unknown writer Albert Camus were quietly pursuing ordinary, separate lives in Paris. After the German invasion and occupation of France, each joined the Resistance to help liberate the country from the Nazis, ascended to prominent, dangerous roles, and were very lucky to survive. After the war and through twists of circumstance, they became friends, and through their passionate determination and rare talent they emerged as leading voices of modern literature and biology, each receiving the Nobel Prize in their respective fields. Brave Genius is a story of the transformation of ordinary lives into exceptional lives by extraordinary events – of courage in the face of overwhelming adversity, the flowering of creative genius, deep friendship, and of profound concern for and insight into the human condition.

Sean B. Carroll is a world-renowned researcher in the field of evolutionary developmental biology, as well as an active science communicator! His other books include A Series of Fortunate Events, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Remarkable Creatures, and The Serengeti Rules. He is also head of HHMI’s Tangled Bank Studios, which has produced several award-winning films including the Emmy-winning “The Serengeti Rules” based on his book of the same name and the recent Oscar Nominee “All That Breathes”.

For more information about Sean B. Carroll’s events at NC State, visit go.ncsu.edu/bgenius