Author, TED speaker David Epstein to visit UF

David Epstein, New York Times best-selling author of “The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance,” will visit UF Jan. 27-30.

Epstein’s TED Talk, “Are athletes really getting faster, better, stronger?” has reached 1.9 million views. He has written for Sports Illustrated, Discover, Scientific American, Slate, The Washington Post and National Geographic covering sports, science and medicine.

Epstein is currently an investigative reporter covering energy and environmental issues and sports science for ProPublica.

He will give a public talk Jan. 28 on “Roger vs. Tiger: Why sports science says we’re developing young athletes wrong” at Gannett Auditorium in Weimer Hall at 6 p.m. A book signing immediately follows speech.

The visit is part of the university’s new Science Journalist in Residence Program, sponsored by the UF College of Journalism and Communications, the UF Office of the Provost and the UF Office of Research.

“The goal of the program is to give students and faculty the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of science journalism through interacting with some of its most captivating practitioners,” said Diane McFarlin, dean of the College of Journalism and Communications.

Epstein describes our times as "a Golden Age for science writing.”

“There is greater necessity than ever to bridge the gap between what scientists know and what the public knows, and there are heaps of outstanding works doing just that,” he said. 

Credits

Writer: Monique Hernandez