Kostas Kampourakis
Senior Lecturer
I am the author and editor of several books about science. I am particularly interested in the public understanding of evolution and genetics, as well as of nature of science. The books I have written have been very well received, and they are considered to be well-written and accessible to a broad audience. I believe that scholars should do society a service by serving as public intellectuals who educate non-experts on topics, and this is a contribution I would very much like to make through my books.
An acknowledgment of this contribution is the 2024 Friend of Darwin Award from the National Center for Science Education for my work on the public understanding of evolution.
At the Section of Biology I teach two courses to undergraduate students: « Biology and Society I & Biology and Society II» and « Comprendre l'évolution » (the latter being related to the AGP group, with a short contribution to the compulsory course on Evolution). At the University Teacher Training Institute (IUFE) I teach a science education course and a research seminar to secondary science teachers. Finally, I teach the courses “Teaching and Learning Science” and “Genomics & Society” to doctoral students for the CUSO program.
Dr Florian Stern, Maître Assistant.
Expertise: survey design,principal component analysis, cluster analysis, analysis of variance, and multi-level models
Dr Nikolaos Tsourakis, Collaborateur Scientifique
Expertise: text mining methods, textual analysis, speech-to-text methods, large language models, and topic modelling
There exist very few studies on the acceptance and understanding of evolutionary theory in Switzerland. On the one hand, there are official polls about people’s religious beliefs, which show that about 60% of people in Switzerland consider evolutionary theory as the most coherent explanation for the origin of humans - which entails that about 40% do not. On the other hand, there exist a few short-scale studies with school students and 1st year undergraduates that show that many among them have misconceptions about evolution. In most cases, the knowledge that school students and 1st year undergraduates have about evolutionary theory is expected to likely be due to schooling. As teachers are a central agent in the process of teaching and learning in schools, and as a recent large scale study of teachers’ acceptance of evolutionary theory in Switzerland has documented issues, we consider important to investigate teachers' conceptualizations - in particular, their construal of key evolution concepts.
BOOKS
Authored
K. Kampourakis (2025) Trusting Science: Why We Need to Reconsider School Science Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
K. Kampourakis (2024) How we Get Mendel Wrong, and Why it Matters: Challenging the Narrative of Mendelian Genetics. New York: CRC Press.
K. Kampourakis (2023). Ancestry Reimagined: Dismantling the Myth of Genetic Ethnicities. New York: Oxford University Press.
K. Kampourakis (2021). Understanding Genes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
K. Kampourakis (2020). Understanding Evolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
K. Kampourakis, K. McCain (2019). Uncertainty: How it Makes Science Advance. New York: Oxford University Press.
K. Kampourakis (2018) Turning Points: How Critical Events Have Driven Human Evolution, Life and Development. Amherst NY, Prometheus Books.
K. Kampourakis (2017) Making Sense of Genes. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
K. Kampourakis (2014) Understanding Evolution. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Edited
K. Kampourakis (Ed.) (2023) Darwin Mythology: Debunking Myths, Correcting Falsehoods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) (2020) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
K. McCain, K. Kampourakis (Eds.) (2019) What is Scientific Knowledge? An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology of Science. New York: Routledge.
K. Kampourakis, M. J. Reiss (Eds.) (2018) Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues, and Trends. New York: Routledge.
R.L. Numbers & K. Kampourakis (Eds) (2015) Newton’s Apple and Other Myths about Science. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press.
K. Kampourakis (Ed) (2013) The Philosophy of Biology: a Companion for Educators. Springer, Dordrecht.
ARTICLES
K. Kampourakis, M. Fux (2025). Ancestry inferences from DNA testing results: The problem of sociogenetic essentialism. History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, 47(25) (online).
D.S. Moore, K. Kampourakis, N. Gericke (2025). The problems with genetic essentialism, determinism, and reductionism. Human Development. link
K. Kampourakis (2024) Teaching school genetics in the 2020s: Why “naive” Mendelian Genetics has to go. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. link
R.G. Duncan, R. Krishnamoorthy, U. Harms, M. Haskel-Ittah, K. Kampourakis, N. Gericke, M. Hammann, M. Jimenez-Aleixandre, R. H. Nehm, M. J. Reiss, A. Yarden (2024) The sociopolitical in human genetics education. Science, 383 (6685), 826-828.
R. Brock, N. Tsourakis, K. Kampourakis, (2024) Using text mining to identify teleological explanations in physics and biology textbooks: An exploratory study. Science & Education (online first).
K. Kampourakis, E.L. Peterson (2023) The racist origins, racialist connotations, and purity assumptions of the concept of “admixture” in human evolutionary genetics. Genetics, 223(3) (iyad002).
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis, A. Müller (2023) “Genes for a role”, “genes as essences”: Secondary students’ explicit and implicit intuitions about genetic essentialism and teleology. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 60(2), 237-267.
R. Brock, K. Kampourakis (2023) A justification of legitimate teleological explanations in physics education: An argument from necessary constraints. Science & Education, 32, 927-945.
K. Kampourakis (2022) Reconsidering the goals of evolution education: defining evolution and evolutionary literacy. Evo Edu Outreach 15, 21.
F. Stern, M. Delaval, K. Kampourakis, A. Müller A (2020) Implicit associations of teleology and essentialism concepts with genetics concepts among secondary school students. PLoS ONE 15 (11): e0242189.
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis, M. Delaval, A. Müller (2020) Development and validation of a questionnaire measuring secondary students’ Genetic Essentialism and Teleology (GET) conceptions. International Journal of Science Education, 42(2) 218-252.
K. Kampourakis (2020) Students’ “teleological misconceptions” in evolution education: why the underlying design stance, not teleology per se, is the problem. Evolution: Education and Outreach, 13 1
K. Kampourakis, F. Stern (2018) Reconsidering the meaning of concepts in biology: Why distinctions are so important. BioEssays, 40, 1800148
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis, C. Huneault, P. Silveira, A. Müller (2018) Undergraduate biology students’ teleological and essentialist misconceptions. Education Sciences, 8(3), 135.
K. McCain, K. Kampourakis (2018) Which question do polls about evolution and belief really ask, and why does it matter? Public Understanding of Science, 27(1) 2–10.
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis (2017) Teaching for genetics literacy in the post-genomic era. Studies in Science Education, 53(2), 193-225.
K. Kampourakis, P. Silveira, B.J. Strasser (2016) How do pre-service biology teachers explain the origin of traits? : A philosophical analysis. Science Education, 100(6), 1124-1149.
R. Nehm, K. Kampourakis (2016) Conceptual change in science and science education. Encyclopedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory, 1-5.
K. Kampourakis, K. McCain (2016) Believe in or about Evolution? BioScience, 66(3), 187-188.
K. Kampourakis (2016) The “general aspects” conceptualization as a pragmatic and effective means to introducing students to nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(5), 667-682.
K. Kampourakis, C. Gripiotis (2015) Darwinism in context: An interdisciplinary, highly contextualized course on nature of science. Perspectives in Science, 5, (25-35).
W.F. McComas, K. Kampourakis (2015) Using the history of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics to illustrate general aspects of nature of science. Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education, 9 (1), 47-76.
M.F. Campanile, N.G. Lederman, K. Kampourakis (2015) Mendelian genetics as a platform for teaching about Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry: the value of textbooks. Science & Education, 24 (1-2), 205-225.
K. Kampourakis (2015) The need for interdisciplinary dialog in evolution education: A comment on the responses by Ware & Gelman and Shtulman. Cognitive Science, 39(4), 846-848.
K. Kampourakis (2015) Distorting the history of evolutionary thought in conceptual development research. Cognitive Science, 39(4), 833-837.
K. Kampourakis, B.J. Strasser (2015) The evolutionist, the creationist and the ‘unsure’: picking up the wrong fight? International Journal of Science Education, Part B: Communication and Public Engagement, 5(3), 271-275.
K. Kampourakis, A. Minelli (2014) Evolution makes more sense in the light of development. The American Biology Teacher, 76(8), 493-498.
K. Kampourakis, E. Vayena, C. Mitropoulou, R.H. van Schaik, D.N. Cooper, J. Borg, G.P. Patrinos (2014) Key challenges for next-generation pharmacogenomics. EMBO Reports, 15(5), 472-476.
K. Kampourakis, A. Minelli (2014) Understanding evolution: why evo-devo matters. Bioscience, 64(5): 381-382.
K. Kampourakis (2013) Mendel and the path to Genetics: portraying science as a social process. Science & Education, 22(2), 293-324.
K. Kampourakis (2013) Teaching about adaptation: Why evolutionary history matters. Science & Education, 22(2), 173-188.
K. Kampourakis (2013) Nägeli, Carl von. In Stanley Maloy and Kelly Hughes (Eds) (2012) Brenner’s Online Encyclopedia of Genetics (2nd edition) pp.2-3.
T.R. Reydon, K. Kampourakis, G.P. Patrinos (2012) Genetics, genomics and society: the responsibilities of scientists for science communication and education. Personalized Medicine, 9(6), 633-643.
K. Kampourakis, E. Palaiokrassa, M. Papadopoulou, V. Pavlidi, M. Argyropoulou (2012) Children’s intuitive teleology: shifting the focus of evolution education research. Evolution Education and Outreach, 5(2), 279-291.
K. Kampourakis, V. Pavlidi, M. Papadopoulou, E. Palaiokrassa (2012) Children’s teleological intuitions: what kind of explanations do 7-8 year olds give for the features of organisms, artifacts and natural objects? Research in Science Education, 42(4), 651-671.
K. Kampourakis, W.F. McComas (2010) Charles Darwin and evolution: illustrating human aspects of science. Science & Education, 19 (6-8), 637-654.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza. (2009) Preliminary evolutionary explanations: a basic framework for conceptual change and explanatory coherence in evolution. Science & Education, 18(10), 1313-1340.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza (2008) Students’ intuitive explanations of the causes of homologies and adaptations. Science & Education, 17(1), 27-47.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza (2007) Students’ preconceptions about evolution: how accurate is the characterization as “Lamarckian” when considering the history of evolutionary thought? Science & Education, 16(3-5), 393-422.
K. Kampourakis (2007) Teleology in biology, chemistry and physics education: what primary teachers should know. Review of Science, Mathematics and ICT Education, 1(2), 81-93.
K. Kampourakis (2006) The finches’ beaks: introducing evolutionary concepts. Science Scope, 29(6), 14-17.
K. Kampourakis, V. Zogza. (2006) Tempo and mode of teaching evolution. Themes in Education, 7(1), 3-24.
K. Kampourakis, K. Roumeliotou (2004) Mendel was not alone. Biologist, 51(1), 54-57.
BOOK CHAPTERS
K. Kampourakis (2024) Introduction: Myths and Darwin. In K. Kampourakis (Ed.) Darwin Mythology: Debunking Myths, Correcting Falsehoods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 1-13.
K. Kampourakis (2024) Conclusion: What inferences about science can we draw from Charles Darwin’s life and work ? In K. Kampourakis (Ed.) Darwin Mythology: Debunking Myths, Correcting Falsehoods. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 286-300.
K. Kampourakis (2023). The Development of Darwin’s Theory: From Natural Theology to Natural Selection. In: Elice Brzezinski Prestes, M. (eds) Understanding Evolution in Darwin’s “Origin”. History, Philosophy and Theory of the Life Sciences, vol 34. Springer, Cham, 99-110.
R. Nehm, K. Kampourakis (2022) Evolution education and outreach – important things to know about how to teach about evolution. In Xana Sá-Pinto, Anna Beniermann, Tom Børsen, Martha Georgiou, Alex Jeffries, Patrícia Pessoa, Bruno Sousa, Dana L. Zeidler (Eds). Learning evolution through socioscientific issues. UA Editora, 87-104.
K. Kampourakis (2021) Should we give peas a chance? An argument for a Mendel-free biology curriculum. In Haskel-Ittah, Michal, Yarden, Anat (Eds.) Genetics Education: Current Challenges and Possible Solutions. Dordrecht: Springer, 3-16.
F. Stern, K. Kampourakis, M. Delaval, A. Müller (2021) How are secondary students’ teleological and essentialist conceptions expressed in the context of genetics and what can teachers do to address them? In Haskel-Ittah, Michal, Yarden, Anat (Eds.) Genetics Education: Current Challenges and Possible Solutions. Dordrecht: Springer, 145-159.
K. Kampourakis (2020) Why does it matter that many biology concepts are metaphors? In K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 102-122.
K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (2020) How can we teach philosophy of science to biologists? In K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 299-311.
T. Uller, K. Kampourakis (2020) Why should biologists care about the philosophy of science? In K. Kampourakis, T. Uller (Eds.) Philosophy of Science for Biologists. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1-20.
K. Kampourakis (2020) Supporting Science Teachers’ Nature of Science Understandings Through a Specially Developed Philosophy of Science Course. In: McComas W. (eds) Nature of Science in Science Instruction. Springer, Cham, 641-658.
W.F. McComas, K. Kampourakis (2020) Using Anecdotes from the History of Biology, Chemistry, Geology, and Physics to Illustrate General Aspects of Nature of Science. In: McComas W. (eds) Nature of Science in Science Instruction. Springer, Cham, 551-576.
K. Papaioannou, K. Kampourakis (2020) Health-care professionals’ awareness and understanding of genomics. In G. P. Patrinos (Ed.) Applied Genomics and Public Health. San Diego CA: Academic Press, 225-242.
K. Kampourakis (2019) How are the uncertainties in scientific knowledge represented in the public sphere? The genetics of intelligence as a case study. In K. McCain and K. Kampourakis (Eds.) What is Scientific Knowledge? An Introduction to Contemporary Epistemology of Science. New York: Routledge, 288-305.
K. Kampourakis (2019) Genetics makes more sense in the light of development. In Giuseppe Fusco (Ed.) Perspectives on Evolutionary and Developmental Biology: Essays for Alessandro Minelli. Padova: University of Padova Press, 115-122.
P. Stasinakis, K. Kampourakis (2018) Teaching evolution in Greece. In H. Deniz, L. Borgerding (Eds.). Evolution Education Around the Globe. Dordrecht: Springer, 195-212.
K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (2018) Concluding remarks. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 275-280.
K. Kampourakis, K. Niebert (2018) Explanation in biology education. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 236-248.
K. Kampourakis, P. Stasinakis (2018) Development. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 99-110.
M. Reiss, K. Kampourakis (2018) Introduction: Biology didactics. In K. Kampourakis, M. Reiss (Eds.). Teaching Biology in Schools: Global Research, Issues and Trends. New York: Routledge, 1-8.
K. Kampourakis (2017) Nature of science representations in Greek secondary school biology textbooks. In McDonald C., Abd-El-Khalick, F. (Eds.) Representations of Nature of Science in School Science Textbooks: A Global Perspective. London: Routledge, 118-134.
K. Kampourakis (2017) Public understanding of genetic testing and obstacles to genetics literacy. In Patrinos G.P., Danielson P., Ansorge W.J. (Eds). Molecular Diagnostics (3rd edition). Amsterdam: Elsevier/Academic Press, 469-477.
K. Kampourakis (2015) Myth 16: That Gregor Mendel was a lonely pioneer of genetics, being ahead of his time. In R. L. Numbers and K. Kampourakis (Eds.). Newton’s Apple and Other Myths about Science. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 129-138.
R. Nehm, K. Kampourakis (2014) History and philosophy of science and the teaching of macroevolution. In M.R. Matthews (Ed.). International Handbook of Research in History, Philosophy and Science Teaching. Dordrecht: Springer, 401-421.
K. Kampourakis, R. Nehm (2014) History and philosophy of science and the teaching of evolution: students’ conceptions and explanations. In M.R. Matthews (Ed.). International Handbook of Research in History, Philosophy and Science Teaching. Dordrecht: Springer, 377-399.
R.M. Burian, K.Kampourakis (2013) Against “genes for”: Could an inclusive concept of genetic material effectively replace gene concepts? In K. Kampourakis (Ed.) The Philosophy of Biology: a Companion for Educators. Dordrecht: Springer, 597-628.
J.G. Lennox, K. Kampourakis (2013) Biological teleology: the need for history. In K. Kampourakis (Ed.) The Philosophy of Biology: a Companion for Educators. Dordrecht: Springer, 421-454.
K. Kampourakis (2013)Philosophy of biology and biology education: an introduction. In K. Kampourakis (Ed.). The Philosophy of Biology: A Companion for Educators.Dordrecht:Springer, 1-29.
- 2025-2026 Nuno Ribeiro Galheto “Conceptualiser l’ascendance : Une analyse comparative des conceptualisations dans PLOS Genetics et chez les futurs enseignants de biologie”
- 2024-2025 Guillaume Zeenny “Tous parents, tous différents: la répartition de la diversité humaine”
- 2023-2024 Léonore Froidevaux “The ‘neglect of ancestry’: Early criticisms of the assumptions and the exceptions of Bateson’s Mendelism, 1902-1904”