Browse All Upcoming Lectures

Gridshock
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Gridshock is a riveting documentary exposing the hidden and disturbing reality behind the sex trafficking demand in Iowa.  Vanessa McNeal, a filmmaker and survivor of sexual violence sets out to explore the often overlooked reality about why the sex trafficking industry thrives. The truth is that sex trafficking wouldn’t exist without the unquenchable thirst and demand for it. On the quest to learn more, Vanessa discovers who the johns/buyers are and why there is a culture of impunity that hides and protects them. In this riveting and truly disturbing documentary what you think you know about sex trafficking will be challenged. What is hidden will come to light, even in a midwestern state like Iowa. The film features survivors of sex trafficking, local and federal law enforcement, advocates, politicians, and a recovering sex addict. The film will begin at 6pm, followed by a 10-minute break, then a panel beginning at 7:10pm featuring two trauma-trained licensed counselors with years of experience supporting trafficked survivors and two survivors of sexual violence and sex trafficking.

The Sex Trafficking Crisis in Iowa
7:10 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To raise awareness of the human trafficking crisis, hear from two trauma-trained licensed counselors with years of experience supporting trafficked survivors and two survivors of sexual violence and sex trafficking.

Jane Elliott: A Conversation about Brown Eyes/Blue Eyes, Prejudice, and a Lifetime in Education
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative LectureThe Advancing One Community Awards will be awarded before the keynote address.Jane Elliott is an American educator, diversity trainer, and activist renowned for her pioneering work in anti-racism education. Born on May 27, 1933, in Riceville, Iowa, Elliott gained prominence for her "Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes" exercise, which she first conducted in 1968 with her third-grade students. The exercise, designed to teach students about the impact of discrimination and racism, involved dividing the class based on eye color and subjecting one group to discriminatory treatment while treating the other group with privilege. Elliott's innovative approach has been widely recognized and replicated, influencing discussions on race, bias, and systemic inequality. Over the decades of her work, she has continued to advocate for racial justice and inclusion, leading workshops and seminars around the world.This event is part of a Women’s and Gender Studies Lecture Series funded by the Mellon Foundation’s Affirming Multivocal Humanities Grant, which was awarded to Dr. Winfrey and the WGS program in the fall of 2023.This lecture will be recorded and available to view for two weeks to those with an iastate.edu email address on the Available Recordings page, approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

George Washington Carver Day of Recognition Program
5:30 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - View the compete George Washington Carver Day of Recognition Program schedule. Dr. Jewel Bronaugh currently serves as President and CEO of the 1890 Universities Foundation. She is the second President and CEO in the Foundation’s history. In 2021, Dr. Bronaugh was nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as the 14th U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. She was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 13, 2021, and assumed office on May 17, 2021. She is the first Black woman to serve in this position.In 2018, Dr. Bronaugh was appointed by Governor Ralph Northam to serve as the 16th Commissioner of the Virigina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In 2019, she served as the Virginia State Executive Director for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). Prior to her FSA appointment, Dr. Bronaugh was the Dean of the College of Agriculture at Virginia State University (VSU) where she oversaw Extension, Research, and Academic Programs, and served as the Associate Administrator for Extension Programs. She was also a 4-H Extension Specialist.In 2019, Dr. Bronaugh helped launch the Virginia Farmer Stress Task Force initiative to raise awareness and help assist farmers and ranchers in time of stress. In 2020, Dr. Bronaugh helped establish the Virginia Food Access Investment Fund Program, the first statewide program of its kind aimed at strengthening local food systems by investing in projects that improve access to fresh foods in historically marginalized communities.Dr. Bronaugh received her Ph.D. in Career and Technical Education from Virginia Tech. She has dedicated her career to service and promoting youth leadership in agriculture. Originally from Petersburg, Virginia, Dr. Bronaugh is married to Cleavon, a retired U.S. Army Veteran.On George Washington Carver Day in Iowa, Carver’s life and legacy live on as a potent symbol of courage, perseverance, and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Carver’s story is one of extraordinary resiliency. Born into slavery in Missouri around 1864, he sought higher education in Iowa, at Simpson College and Iowa State University. He was Iowa State’s first Black student, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After graduation, he became Iowa State’s first Black faculty member.Carver left Iowa for the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where he spent the rest of his life applying his innovative genius to agriculture. He became world renowned for creating hundreds of products made from peanuts, sweet potatoes and other native Southern crops. A kind and patient teacher, Carver showed farmers how alternative crops and practices could benefit their bottom line and sustain their land. He took practical knowledge gained from science and delivered it to those working in the fields and rural areas.A livestream link will be available on this page as the event date nears. The recording will be added to the Available Recordings page when available.

Finding Their Voices: How Vocal Coach Mary Jo DuPrey Trains Award-Winning Singers
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Mary Jo DuPrey is the Private Touring Vocal Coach for Jon Bon Jovi. She also trained Daveed Diggs for his star making and Tony Award winning performance as Lafayette/Jefferson in Broadway’s “Hamilton.” Mary Jo served on the faculty at the Ray Bolger Program in Musical Theater at UCLA from 2006- 2017 where her renowned Rock Musical Theater Class has helped usher countless students onto the Broadway and National Tour Stages.This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

Wild Life: Finding My Purpose in an Untamed World
5:30 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Rae Wynn-Grant is a wildlife ecologist who researches how human activity influences the behavior of wild animals. As an active scientist, she spends long periods in the wilderness tracking and observing black and grizzly bears in the western United States, and African lions in rural Kenya and Tanzania. Her wildlife exploration and media work has taken her to six of seven continents and over 25 countries. A native Californian, Wynn-Grant attributes her interest in wildlife and conservation from the nature shows she watched on television as a child, and today she uses media to increase representation of Black scientists and explorers. Wynn-Grant received her BS in Environmental Studies from Emory University, her MS in Environmental Studies from Yale University, and her PhD in Ecology and Evolution from Columbia University. She is a faculty member at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Wynn-Grant envisions a near future where the outdoors is a safe, equitably accessible, and positively transformative space for all people. She is a scientist, conservationist, equity and justice advocate, and storyteller. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant is the host of the PBS podcast, Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, which takes listeners deep into the heart of the world’s most remote jungles, savannas, tundras, mountains, and deserts with her as she studies wild animals in their natural habitats. She is also the Host of the NBC series, Wild Kingdom - a new version of the iconic wildlife show premiering Fall 2023. This event is part of a Women’s and Gender Studies Lecture Series funded by the Mellon Foundation’s Affirming Multivocal Humanities Grant, which was awarded to Dr. Winfrey and the WGS program in the fall of 2023.Due to speaker request, this recording will not be available until 3 days after the lecture and will be on the Available Recordings site only for those with an ISU Net ID.

The 1000 Farms Initiative: Lessons from America's Regenerative Farmers
7:30 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Dr. Lundgren is an agroecologist, Director ECDYSIS Foundation, and CEO for Blue Dasher Farm. He received his PhD in Entomology from the University of Illinois in 2004, and was a top scientist with USDA-ARS for 11 years. Lundgren’s research and education programs focus on assessing the ecological risk of agricultural practices and developing long-term solutions for regenerative food systems. Lundgren received the Presidential Early Career Award for Science and Engineering by the White House. Lundgren has served as an advisor for US and International regulatory and granting agencies. Lundgren has written 140 peer-reviewed journal articles (with an h-index of 52), authored his first book by the age of 30, and has received more than $13 million in grants. He has supervised and trained dozens of scientists from around the world. One of his priorities is to make science applicable to end-users, and he regularly interacts with the public and farmers regarding agroecology and planetary health. His ecological research focuses heavily on conserving healthy biological communities within agroecosystems by reducing disturbance and increasing biodiversity.

The Secret Life of Bears
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Rae Wynn-Grant is a wildlife ecologist who researches how human activity influences the behavior of wild animals. As an active scientist, she spends long periods in the wilderness tracking and observing black and grizzly bears in the western United States, and African lions in rural Kenya and Tanzania. Her wildlife exploration and media work has taken her to six of seven continents and over 25 countries. A native Californian, Wynn-Grant attributes her interest in wildlife and conservation from the nature shows she watched on television as a child, and today she uses media to increase representation of Black scientists and explorers. Wynn-Grant received her BS in Environmental Studies from Emory University, her MS in Environmental Studies from Yale University, and her PhD in Ecology and Evolution from Columbia University. She is a faculty member at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California at Santa Barbara. Wynn-Grant envisions a near future where the outdoors is a safe, equitably accessible, and positively transformative space for all people. She is a scientist, conservationist, equity and justice advocate, and storyteller. Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant is the host of the PBS podcast, Going Wild with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, which takes listeners deep into the heart of the world’s most remote jungles, savannas, tundras, mountains, and deserts with her as she studies wild animals in their natural habitats. She is also the Host of the NBC series, Wild Kingdom - a new version of the iconic wildlife show premiering Fall 2023. This event is part of a Women’s and Gender Studies Lecture Series funded by the Mellon Foundation’s Affirming Multivocal Humanities Grant, which was awarded to Dr. Winfrey and the WGS program in the fall of 2023.Due to speaker request, this recording will not be available until 3 days after the lecture and will be on the Available Recordings site only for those with an ISU Net ID.

Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Jeremy Umansky is a chef/owner of Larder: A Curated Delicatessen & Bakery in Cleveland, Ohio, nominated by the James Beard Foundation as the Best New Restaurant in America in 2019. He has been featured in numerous publications like Bon Appetit and Saveur and was named “The Deli Prophet” by Food & Wine in the March 2019 Makers Issue. He is the author of the book, Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2020). The University Book Store will be onsite selling copies of Koji Alchemy: Rediscovering the Magic of Mold-Based Fermentation at the event.This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

Technology as Storytelling: How Engineering, Science, and Faith Play
6:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - Note: This event was rescheduled from October 29, 2024. When we do our science and technology, our stories interpret what we see and direct what we make. In turn, we tell our stories not only by word and voice, but also by what we theorize and create. What does it mean when Christian scholars suggest all academic disciplines --including engineering-- are in the storytelling business? Or that God's Spirit is behind all knowing, even our technical and scientific know-how?  How does a story-based revelation add depth and meaning in our learning and doing of science and technology? Dr. Ethan Brue's study takes a nuanced, holistic, and historical look at how technology taps into human dreams for a better world, even while grappling with the challenges arising from new technologies.  Ethan Brue received his PhD in mechanical engineering from Iowa State University. He currently is the Dean for Technology and Applied Sciences at Dordt University, where he's taught engineering since 2000. Dr Brue is a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.), having previously worked as an engineeringconsultant and project manager in the energy generation sector as well as a research and development engineer in the agriculture industry. Dr Brue is a co-author of "A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers" (Intervarsity Press), which looks at the ethics and norms involved in technology design, biblical themes and passages that relate to technology, and how engineering and technology tap into human dreams for a better world. His research interests include thermochemical reactor design, the history of science and technology, solar energy engineering, biomass gasification and combustion, and fluidization. This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.