Marcus du Sautoy to replace Dawkins chief science evangelist
Stepping into the shoes of the mighty Richard Dawkins could be intimidating for some: not so for the University of Oxford's Marcus du Sautoy. The university announced today that the mathematician would take up its prestigious Simonyi professorship for the public understanding of science, the post vacated last month by evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins after more than a decade.Arguably the highest-profile academic post in the UK, focused on the communication of science to a general audience, Dawkins used his time in Oxford's Simonyi chair to write several books on evolution and re-energise the debate on whether or not there is a god.du Sautoy, who takes up the post in December, said he was undaunted by Dawkins' shadow, keen instead to steer his own course. "I'm bracing myself for everyone asking me if I believe in God or not," he said. "I understand Richard's point, there are great fears about the...
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