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2009-09 University Lecture Series
Speaker Bio: James Randi
Thursday, October 2, 2008 - 7:30 p.m.
Bio Courtesy of James Randi Educational Foundation
James
Randi has an international reputation as a magician and escape artist,
but today he is best known as the world's most tireless investigator and demystifier
of paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Randi is the author of eleven books,
a much-in-demand lecturer, an amateur archaeologist, an amateur astronomer
and the world's leading psychic investigator and skeptic. He was born in 1928
in Toronto, Canada. In 1987, he was naturalized a U.S. Citizen, and now resides
in Florida.
he appears frequently on U.S. television shows and in the late 1960's was host of "The Randi Show" on WOR-Radio. he is also a founding fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP).
On April 1, 2996, the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) was established in Florida, dedicated to promoting and teaching critical thinking about paranormal, supernatural, and occult claims, and as a data source for educators, students, media and researchers. The primary communication tool for the JREF is its website, where Randi writes a weekly column, SWIFT.
Mr. Randi's writings have appeared in many periodicals such as: Chicago Sun, Discovery, The Humanist, Los Angeles Times, New Scientist, New York Times, Physics and Society, TIME and many other technical and popular publications including major newspapers. He has taught at New York University (NYC) and at Brookdale Community College in New Jersey.
Over the years, Randi has been acknowledged for his many contributions. Some awards and recognition include:
- Fellow of the prestigious John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation;
- American Physical Society's Forum Award;
- Gold Medal of the University of Ghent, Belgium;
- The Commemorative Medal with Golden Wreath from the Hungarian Society for the Dissemination of Scientific Knowledge;
- A degree honoris causa, Doctor of Humane Letters, from the University of Indianapolis; and
- The first annual Richard Dawkins award by the Atheist Alliance.