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Founded in 2004, the 'Origins Institute' ('OI') is an interdisciplinary scientific organization based in Hamilton, Ontario at McMaster University.
The OI's aim is to promote research into several related themes that hope to solve fundamental questions about the origins of the universe, life, and humanity. Professional members of the institute hail from several fields, including astrophysics, biology, chemistry, psychology, mathematics and anthropology.
Ralph Pudritz, an established theoretical astrophysicist from McMaster, spearheaded the OI project and is its first director. Well-known academics Martin Rees and Stuart Kauffman sit on the OI advisory council.

Contents

Outreach and conferences

Undergraduate Research Specialization

List of directors

Outreach and conferences

One of the focuses of the Origins Institute is public outreach, and to that end it promotes an annual season of public lectures that draw in top scientists from around the world.
The OI also holds yearly scientific conferences that address origins themes. Its first meeting, entitled 'Astrobiology and the Origins of Life' was held at McMaster in May 2005. The second, 'The Genomics Revolution and the Origin of Humanity' was held in August 2006, and the third, 'Origins of Dark Energy', organized jointly with the Perimeter Institute, is scheduled for May 2007. A public lecture is also held annually in conjunction with the conference.

Undergraduate Research Specialization

The Origins Institute offers a 3 year specialization for second-year undergraduate students who are registered in a "home" department at McMaster. Students are selected based on academic achievement and are required to complete a research thesis on an Origins topic

List of directors

★ 2004 - present - Ralph Pudritz