The NIU community will have a chance to learn about therapeutic cloning this week.

NIU political science professor Andrea Bonnicksen will speak about “Therapeutic Cloning and Public Policy” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in the staff lounge of Founders Memorial Library.

The event is the fourth of five programs of the year hosted by The Friends of NIU Libraries, a not-for-profit group that assists in solicting funds for libraries. Bonnicksen is well-known and the author of three books and numerous articles, said Cindy Ditzler, publicity chair for Friends of NIU Libraries.

“We are hoping for a good turnout; she’s there to educate people,” Ditzler said.

In the past, the programs have seen a combination of faculty, staff, off-campus friends and members, Ditzler said.

The event is free and open to the public.

Bonnicksen is a member of the ethics committee for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the ethics and human values committee for Kishwaukee Community Hospital, and is a participant in the Hasting Center’s “Reprogenetics: A Blueprint for Meaningful Moral Debate and Responsible Public Policy.”

For more information about the event, call 753-9394.