Patt Morrison from the TED Conference--for Friday, 2/12/10

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE

Friday, February 12, 2010

1-3 p.m.

CALL-IN @ 866-893-5722, 866-893-KPCC; OR JOIN THE CONVERSATION ONLINE ON THE PATT MORRISON BLOG AT KPCC-DOT-ORG

PATT MORRISON LIVE FROM THE TED CONFERNEC IN LONG BEACH

TECHNOLOGY, ENTERTAINMENT & DESIGN

1:06 - 1:30

A cure for HIV-AIDS, or at least a vaccine, is on the horizon

While the rates of HIV-AIDS have stabilized or even declined in the developed world, the Third World continues to grapple with the devastating consequences of the autoimmune deficiency disease. Drug cocktails have helped to make AIDS a more survivable disease (again, mostly in the developed world) but bigger advancements in an HIV vaccine are just over the horizon. Patt talks with two of the most prominent researchers and activists on HIV-AIDS, and focuses on the hopes for cure and prevention.

Guests:

Dr. Seth Berkeley, president & CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative; epidemiologist & infectious disease expert

IN STUDIO

Elizabeth Pisani, epidemiologist specializing in HIV research; director of Ternyata Ltd public health consultants; author of "The Wisdom of Whores: Bureaucrats, Brothels & the Business of AIDS"

IN STUDIO

1:30 - 1:58:30

Sam Harris picks a fight with God

According to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, an amazing 92% of Americans believe in God or a universal spirit-even one in five of self-identified atheists believe in a higher power. Ardent secularist Sam Harris isn't deterred by those numbers, and in fact has made it his life's mission to force the faithful to question their religious faith-Harris would even argue that the future of civilization is dependent on it. Questioning commonly held assertions and wisdom found in the Bible; seeking out debates with theologists across the spectrum, from Judaism to Christianity to Islam; and all but picking a fight with God, Sam Harris takes his secular crusade to Patt's microphone.

Guest:

Sam Harris, co-founder & CEO of The Reason Project; neuroscience researcher; author of "The End of Faith" & "Letter to a Christian Nation"

IN STUDIO

2:06 - 2:30

The education revolution is already underway: KIPP is the key

The charter school movement is now a commonly accepted alternative approach to public education, but there was a time not so long ago when the idea of localizing control and curriculum in a charter school was revolutionary. Dave Levin helped to lead that revolution when he and Mike Feinberg, two elementary school teachers fresh out of the Teach for America program, founded the Knowledge is Power Program Academy in New York and Houston. Now KIPP is a nationwide network of free, open-enrollment college preparatory public schools in under-resourced communities throughout the U.S.-it's the largest charter school operation in the country. Tailored to the needs of specific neighborhoods and students, Levin's KIPP is slowly changing the way we educate our children. What's next in the education revolution?

Guest:

Dave Levin, co-founder of the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) & superintendent of KIPP New York; former 5th grade teacher

IN STUDIO

2:30 - 2:58:30

Getting personal with your genome, thanks to George Church

George Church's pioneering research on the human genome helped launch the Human Genome Project, but mapping the genome was just the start. Now Church's Personal Genome Project is seeking the next step-allowing individuals to have their own genome sequenced so that they may use this information to understand their risk profiles for disease, their physical & biological characteristics. How could this information help to predict and combat genetic diseases; how could this information be potentially abused by more malicious actors? Church joins Patt to talk about the science and ethics of the personal genome.

Guests:

George Church, professor of molecular genetics at the Harvard Medical School & professor of health sciences & technology at Harvard & MIT; initiator of the Personal Genome Project

IN STUDIO

OTHER POTENTIAL GUESTS:

-Sarah Silverman, comedian

-Mark Roth, biochemist & cell biologist

-Sheryl Crow, singer/songwriter