In the tradition that began with the first Amazing Meeting nine years ago, the JREF is once again issuing a call for papers to those who would like to share their work and accomplishments at the 2011 Amazing Meeting, July 14-17, in Las Vegas.

Anyone may submit a request to present a paper. If your proposal is accepted you will be allotted 10 to 15 minutes for your presentation and an additional 5 minutes for questions and comments from the audience. Invitations to present will be givin to approximately six proposals.

If your proposal is selected for further consideration, a written article and draft of your presentation slides will be required for final consideration. Please see the selection schedule below for further details.

Please send your completed proposal form to Prof. Ray Hall by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., fax at 559 278 7747, or postal mail at

Department of Physics
California State University, Fresno
2345 E. San Ramon Ave. M/S MH 037
Fresno, CA 93740-8031

Invitations will be made according to the following schedule:

Deadline for proposal submission: May 15, 2011
Initial selection completed: request for further documentation: May 20
Deadline for written article and draft presentation: June 1
Final selection completed: Invitations sent out: June 10

If your proposal makes it through the initial selection, we will request from you a written paper and a draft of your PowerPoint slides (if any). The submitted paper should be at the level of a magazine article (like that of Skeptic Magazine or Skeptical Inquirer) or a journal article appropriate for your professional discipline.

Get your proposal form here: TAM2011 Proposal [MS Word format] [PDF format]

Note: all invited Sunday Paper presenters are responsible to pay for their own attendance including registration. JREF greatly appreciates your volunteer participation, but unfortunately cannot fund any part of your travel, lodging, or conference registration.

Relevant topics for papers include (but are not limited to): analysis of questionable claims, rational examination of claimed paranormal phenomena, ideas in critical thinking education, psychology of belief, or any of the usual topics found in Mr. Randi’s commentaries or that concern the JREF mission. Check out this selection of papers presented at last year's Amazing Meeting to get an idea of the kinds of topics that have been granted invitations:

  • Independent Investigations Group v. the California Board of Registered Nurses (CBRN)
    Brian Hart
    The Independent Investigations Group
  • Fallacies and Falsehoods at the 2009 Cancer Control Society Convention
    William M. London
    Professor of Health Science, California State University, Los Angeles
  • Skepticism, Humor, and Going Viral: What We Can Learn from Boobquake
    Jennifer McCreight
    Biologist and Writer of the Blag Hag blog
  • Skepticism as a Gateway to Scientific Literacy
    Barbara A. Drescher
    Dept. of Psychology, California State University, Northridge
  • The Virgin of Guadalupe: A Positive Take
    Brian Dunning
    Skeptoid Podcast Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena
  • Confessions of a Skeptical Advertising Man: How to “sell” critical thinking to friends and associates
    Steve Cuno
    RESPONSE Agency, Inc
  • Frankenfoods: Cornerstones of the Next Green Revolution
    Kevin M. Folta
    Associate Professor, Horticultural Sciences Dept. University of Florida
  • A Case Study of Researching a Psychic: Examining Sylvia Browne’s History
    Ryan Shaffer
    Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at Stony Brook University

 

In the tradition that began with the first Amazing Meeting nine years ago, the JREF is once again issuing a call for papers to those who would like to share their work and accomplishments at the 2011 Amazing Meeting, July 14-17, in Las Vegas.
Anyone may submit a request to present a paper. If your proposal is accepted you will be allotted 10 to 15 minutes for your presentation and an additional 5 minutes for questions and comments from the audience.  Invitations to present will be giving to approximately six proposals. If your proposal is selected for further consideration, a written article and draft of your presentation slides will be required for final consideration. Please see the selection schedule below for further details.
Please email your completed proposal form to: Prof. Ray Hall at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or regular mail: Department of Physics
California State University, Fresno
2345 E. San Ramon Ave. M/S MH 037 Fresno, CA 93740-8031 or Fax: 559 278 7747

Invitations will be made according to the following schedule:

Deadline for proposal submission: May 15, 2011 Initial selection completed: request for further documentation: May 20 Deadline for written article and draft presentation: June 1 Final selection completed: Invitations sent out: June 10     If your proposal makes it through the initial selection, we will request from you a written paper and a draft of your power point slides (if any). The submitted paper should be at the level of a magazine article (like that of Skeptic Magazine or Skeptical Inquirer) or a journal article appropriate for your professional discipline.   Get your proposal form here: TAM2011 Proposal [MS Word format][PDF format]
Note: all invited Sunday Paper presenters are responsible to pay for their own attendance including registration. JREF greatly appreciates your volunteer participation, but unfortunately cannot fund any part of your travel, lodging, or conference registration.
Relevant topics for papers include (but are not limited to): analysis of questionable claims, rational examination of claimed paranormal phenomena, ideas in critical thinking education, psychology of belief, or any of the usual topics found in Mr. Randi’s commentaries or that concern the JREF mission. Check out the following selection of papers presented at the previous Amazing Meetings to get an idea of the kinds of topics that have been granted invitations.

TAM 8:   Independent Investigations Group v. the California Board of Registered Nurses (CBRN) Brian Hart The Independent Investigations Group
Fallacies and Falsehoods at the 2009 Cancer Control Society Convention William M. London Professor of Health Science, California State University, Los Angeles
Skepticism, Humor, and Going Viral: What We Can Learn from Boobquake Jennifer McCreight Biologist and Writer of the Blag Hag blog
Skepticism as a Gateway to Scientific Literacy Barbara A. Drescher Dept. of Psychology, California State University, Northridge
The Virgin of Guadalupe: A Positive Take Brian Dunning Skeptoid Podcast Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena
Confessions of a Skeptical Advertising Man: How to “sell” critical thinking to friends and associates  Steve Cuno RESPONSE Agency, Inc
Frankenfoods: Cornerstones of the Next Green Revolution Kevin M. Folta Associate Professor, Horticultural Sciences Dept. University of Florida
A Case Study of Researching a Psychic: Examining Sylvia Browne’s History Ryan Shaffer Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at Stony Brook University
  TAM 7:   Teaching Critical Thinking in a Therapeutic Setting Don Riefler Jessie Levering Cary Home for Children Kids Thinking Critically
Patently Ridiculous: The Perfect Sommelier David Green Senior Patent Examiner, Canadian Intellectual Property Office
Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt: The Pillars of Justification for Cyber Security Adam Slagell National Center for Supercomputing Applications University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The Constructive Skeptic: Rebranding Skepticism at the Grassroots Level Steve Cuno RESPONSE Agency, Inc
Solving: The Missing Cosmonauts Brian Dunning Skeptoid Podcast Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena
How are we doing?: Attracting and Keeping Visitors to Skeptic Web Sites Christian Walters & Tim Farley
TAM 6:   Niche Pseudoscience: Hidden Bastions of Thriving, Unchallenged Irrationality Steve Cuno RESPONSE Agency, Inc
The Most Popular Science Video in the World – How to Make Your Message Famous Tracy King Managing Director- February Marketing
Artificial Creatures, Real Evolution Lee Graham 3D Virtual Creature Evolution: www.stellaralchemy.com
The Psychology of Anomalous Experiences Christopher C. French Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit and Perrott-Warrick Researcher, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths College, New Cross, London
Building Internet Tools for Skeptics: Weapons for the War on Woo Tim Farley Creator: whatstheharm.net
The Making of “The Skeptologists Brian Dunning Executive Producer, The Skeptologists, Host/Producer, Skeptoid
  TAM 5:
A Teaching Pigs to Sing? A Skeptic Tries to Introduce Critical Thinking to the Public! Harriet Hall, M.D. Associate Editor of The Scientific Review of Alternative Medicine. Columnist for Skeptic Magazine
Cracking the Language Code – Uncovering Secret Messages You Didn’t Know You Were Sending Ginger Switzer Nurse Practitioner, Owner EHPEC Employee Health
Patenting Perpetual Motion – A Field Guide for the Average Skeptic David Green Senior Patent Examiner, Canadian Intellectual Property Office
Digital Darwinian Evolution Produces Irreducible Complexity Lee Graham PhD candidate, Evolutionary Computing, Carleton University
How to Be a C-List Internet Celebrity in Just 30 Days:  Finding an Audience Online Rebecca Watson Founder and Director of Skepchicks Ltd.
The West Australian Skeptics Awards for Young Critical Writers Kylie L. Sturgess English teacher, Methodist Ladies’ College, Western Australia
It’s Only Natural – Exposing the Naturalistic Fallacy Steven Novella, MD Host of The Skeptics’ Guide to the Universe, President of the New England Skeptical Society, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine
Decoding the Media Mythmakers Benjamin Radford Author, Investigator, and Managing Editor of the Skeptical Inquirer Magazine     TAM 4:
A Plague of Skepticism: Start Your Own Investigations Group! James Underdown Executive Director, Center for Inquiry/ Founder, Independent Investigations Group
Science, Race and Politics Ann M Palkovich Associate Prof. of Anthropology, George Mason University
 The Supernatural and the Movies David Richards  Skeptical Investigator, Independent Investigations Group, CFI West
The Sexy Skeptic: Marketing Critical Thinking for a New Generation Larisa Beckwith Clinical Psychologist and Master's in Public Health (Candidate)
A Skeptical View of Cholesterol Phobia Marshall E. Deutsch Clinical Chemist, Inventor
The 1994 Dietary Supplements Health Education Act (DSHEA) Darren McBride CEO, Highly Reliable Systems
Stopping Kaz – One Skeptic’s Experience Using the Internet to Debunk a Religious Con-artist Robert Lancaster Skeptical Investigator, StopKaz.com
The Bible Code: Data Mining for God David E. Thomas Physicist, President of New Mexicans for Science and Reason
In Close Encounters, We Mostly See Ourselves Frederick V. Malmstrom U.S. Air Force Academy
The Stupendous, Spectacular Failure of Psychic Detectives Benjamin Radford Investigator, Skeptical Inquirer columnist
Tuning Your Technological BS Detector Daniel Samber Staff Scientist, Mount Sinai School of Medicine
The Failure of Paranormal Methods to Predict Natural Disasters Ray Beiersdorfer Professor of Geology, Youngstown State University of Ohio
TAM 3:
Teaching Critical Thinking in the Physical Sciences
Liam McDaid Sacramento City College

SkepticalPsychology.org: A Resource for
Critical Thinking about Questionable Psychological Domains

Curt Burgess Department of Psychology, UC Riverside

Fighting Fideism
Carlos Bertha Department of Philosophy, United States Air Force Academy

IIG Special Investigation: Carla Baron, Psychic Detective? Sherri Andrews and Brian Hart Independent Investigations Group, CFI–West

Legalized Child Abuse: Faith Healers and Child Deaths
Seth Asser Hasbro Children’s Hospital

Confessions of a Monkey Boy
David B. Schlosser Analects ink
  TAM 2:
The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics: Exposing Misconceptions Spread by Creationists Lt. Col. Matt Morgan United States Air Force Academy
Demarcation: Is there a Sharp Line between Science and Pseudoscience? Prof. Raymond Hall Dept. of Physics, California State University, Fresno
Skepticism and the Media: Making Your Voice Heard David Ewalt droppingscience.com
TAM 1:
The Age of the Earth Prof. Ray Hall Dept. of Physics, California State University, Fresno
Educating College Students about Skepticism Prof. Charles Wynn Dept. of Physical Science, Eastern Connecticut State University   The JREF Forum Ms. Maira Benjamin   They See Dead People— Or Do They? Mr. Jim Underdown Executive Director, Center for Inquiry/ Founder, Independent Investigations Group
The Watson Card Problem Prof. Jeff Corey President, New York Area Skeptics (NYASk)   An Empirical Investigation of the Effects of Penta Water. Mr. Greg Winslow Specialty Sensor Technologies Inc   Astronomy – The Ultimate Magic Show Prof. John Brown Astronomer Royal for Scotland   Skeptics and Religion Prof. Taner Edis Dept. of Physics, Truman State University