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
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