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Graduate Education, Opportunity, and AI
12:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Odis Johnson Jr., PhD, is the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Social Policy and STEM Equity at Johns Hopkins University, where he has faculty appointments in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the School of Education as Executive Director of the Hopkins Center for Safe and Healthy Schools, and in the Department of Sociology at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. He also directs the Institute in Critical Quantitative, Computational, and Mixed Methodologies (ICQCM), a National Science Foundation data science training institute.He previously served as a faculty member at Washington University in St. Louis, and chaired the African American Studies Department at the University of Maryland. His work on the interrelated topics of neighborhoods, social policy, and race have been funded by the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, William T. Grant Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation. A transdisciplinary scholar, his work appears in the leading journals of 11 scientific disciplines and fields. Johnson’s work and ideas about social change have been featured in prominent media outlets, including the Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, Christian Science Monitor, CNN, The Washington Post, MSNBC, NPR, Teen Vogue, The Associated Press, Vox, The New Yorker, The New York Times, NBC News, The Chicago Tribune, SiriusXM, and a variety of international and local news outlets.This lecture is part of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate's (GPSS) annual conference, which is free and open to the public. No registration is required to attend the keynote. To register for the GPSS conference, visit their website.

Demystifying AI: What Adoption Success Looks Like for Humans
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Olivia Gambelin is a world-renowned expert in artificial intelligence ethics and product innovation whose experience in utilizing ethics-by-design has empowered hundreds of business leaders to achieve their desired impact on the cutting edge of AI development. Gambelin works directly with product teams to drive AI innovation through human value alignment, as well as executive teams on the operational and strategic development of responsible AI.Olivia is the author of the book Responsible AI: Implement an Ethical Approach in Your Organization with Kogan Page Publishing. Responsible AI guides readers step-by-step through the process of establishing robust yet manageable ethical AI initiatives for any size organization, outlining the three core pillars of building a responsible AI strategy: people, process and technology. It provides the insight and guidance needed to help leaders fully understand the technical and commercial potential of ethics in AI while also covering the operations and strategy needed to support implementation.As the founder of Ethical Intelligence, the world’s largest network of responsible AI practitioners, Gambelin offers unparalleled insight into how leaders can embrace the strength of human values to drive holistic business success. She is the creator of The Values Canvas, co-founder of Women Shaping the Future of Responsible AI (WSFR.AI), founding Editorial Board member for Springer Nature’s AI and Ethics Journal, and sits as an advisor for the Ethical AI Governance Group (EAIGG) and The Data Tank. She has advised various organizations from Fortune 500 to Series A startups across the healthcare, financial, and media sectors in utilizing ethics as a decision-making tool for success in artificial intelligence.Gambelin splits her year between San Francisco where she is an active member of Silicon Valley’s ecosystem of startups and investors, and Brussels where she advises on AI policy and regulation.This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

Dragons & Rayguns: Book Reading with the Iowa Poet Laureate
5:00 PM – Christian Petersen Art Museum, 1017 Morrill Hall - Vince Gotera is the Poet Laureate of Iowa and Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Northern Iowa, where he taught for almost 30 years. He was editor of the North American Review (2000-2016) and Star*Line, the print journal of the International Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association (2017-2020). His poetry awards include a Creative Writing Fellowship in Poetry from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Global Filipino Literary Award in Poetry, The Mary Roberts Rinehart Award in Poetry, and an Academy of American Poets Prize, among others. Poetry collections include "Dragonfly," "Ghost Wars," "Fighting Kite," "The Coolest Month," and "Dragons & Rayguns."Recent poems appeared in Dreams & Nightmares, The Ekphrastic Review, Failed Haiku, The MacGuffin, Philippines Graphic (Philippines), Rattle, Rosebud, The Wild Word (Germany), Yellow Medicine Review, and the anthologies Multiverse (UK), Dear America, and Hay(na)ku 15. Of his most recent publication, "Dragons & Rayguns," the esteemed poet Bryan Thao Worra, past president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association, writes, “Witty and profound, playful and inviting, these poems are a delight, whether dealing with rocket ships and super science to alien shores, Filipino myth, and human loss and wonder.”Note: This lecture will not be recorded. 

From Global Experience to National Transformation: A Call to Lead and Inspire
6:00 PM – Advanced Teaching Research Building (ATRB) 1302 - Ghana's Independence Day Celebration and LectureManasseh Azure Awuni is an author and investigative journalist whose work has resulted in the passage of a law by Ghana’s parliament, cancellation of government contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and prosecution and jailing of persons. He is the founding Editor-in-Chief of The Fourth Estate, a non-profit, public-interest journalism project founded by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).Manasseh was named Ghana’s Journalist of the Year for 2011 (a year after graduating from journalism school) by the Ghana Journalists Association. In 2018 and 2020, the Media Foundation for West Africa named him West Africa Journalist of the Year. He was adjudged the overall best journalist at the 2023 Norbert Zongo African Prize for Investigative Journalism (PAJI-NZ). Manasseh is the author of four nonfiction books: Voice of Conscience (2016), Letters to My Future Wife (2017), The Fourth John: Reign, Rejection & Rebound (2019), Investigative Journalism in Africa: A Practical Manual (2023), and The President Ghana Never Got (2024). Manasseh was a Nieman Journalism Fellowship at Harvard University for the 2023-2024 academic year.This lecture is part of the Ghana Students Association’s Maiden Ghana Independence and Cultural Celebration at ISU campus. Participation in this event is free. Note: This lecture is not available for card scanning and will not be recorded.

Artist Josh Simpson and Astronaut Cady Coleman Discuss Science, Art, and Space Exploration
2:00 PM – Brunnier Art Museum, 295 Scheman Building - Astronaut Cady Coleman, a veteran of two shuttle missions and a six-month Space Station expedition, is the author of Sharing Space. A popular speaker and media advisor, she coached Sandra Bullock from the ISS for her role in Gravity and is featured in the Sundance-premiering documentary Space: The Longest Goodbye.Inspired by the story of Apollo astronauts seeing the earth "hanging like a blue marble in space." Josh Simpson began creating his own fanciful marble-sized planets in the mid-1970s. This early artistic exploration, combined with his intense interest in physics, cosmology, astronomical phenomena, and all things mechanical, inform and inspire his work to this day. Josh Simpson is a contemporary glass artist who uses old techniques. Each planet is hand shaped with wooden blocks and other traditional tools at his Western Massachusetts studio.Note: This lecture will not be recorded.

Textural and Timbral Influences on Storytelling Narrative in Pop/Rock Music
6:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - The prototypical modern pop/rock song has grown out of a long tradition of verse/chorus form that often features delineated sections where verses and pre-chorus/choruses are juxtaposed in a way to aid in the narrative of the song. The sections are contrasting, with the verses exhibiting a sparse texture and timbre that makes the listener feel privy to a deep thought or private conversation, while a chorus generally has a thickening of the texture and more reverberant timbres to feel the openness of the “sing-along” moment of the chorus.But this presentation explores other subsets of the ways that texture and timbral narratives can play out over the course of the song, ones that encompass and enhance the entire story, not just narrated verses interspersed with a catchy chorus, but ones that follow the narrative arc of the whole song.Dr. Kati Meyer is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the School of Music’s Theory Area, where her diverse teaching strategies and individualized relationship-building cultivate a unique learning experience for UI’s music students.Meyer’s extensive research on popular music and music theory pedagogy has led to multiple opportunities to present throughout the area. Most recently, she presented on “Teaching Music Theory Like A (Pro)fessor” at the Iowa Music Educators Association’s 2022 conference. She enjoys helping students to understand theoretical concepts through popular and Western Art music analysis and composition, as well as using baked goods as an incentive to participate in class.Dr. Meyer has held teaching positions at Morningside University, San Jacinto College, Briar Cliff University, the University of Iowa, and Northwestern University. She is also an accomplished pianist, having performed multiple concerti and solo recitals, and serves as a collaborative pianist for UI soloists/ensembles and area high schools.Kati Meyer earned a BA in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota, Morris before earning an MM from Northwestern University and a PhD from the University of Iowa, both in Music Theory.This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

Archimedes and the Dial of Destiny
6:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - Nicholas Nicastro is an American writer, filmmaker, and film critic, born in 1963 in Astoria, New York. He holds a BA in English from Cornell University, an MFA in filmmaking from New York University, an MA in archaeology and a PhD in psychology from Cornell. Nicastro has had a diverse career, working as a film critic, hospital orderly, newspaper reporter, library archivist, college lecturer, animal behaviorist, and advertising salesman. He has published short fiction, travel, and science articles in notable publications like The New York Times and The New York Observer. His writings include historical novels such as Empire of Ashes and The Isle of Stone, which explore the darker sides of popular historical exploits. He also authored a biography of Eratosthenes and a biography of Archimedes in the "Great Lives of the Ancient World" series.This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

Hearing the Will of the People in the Vote: The Mathematics of Quantifying Gerrymandering
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - The US political system requires redrawing districts every ten years based on the census, often manipulated for partisan gain through gerrymandering. Identifying and understanding gerrymandering involves questions of fairness, proportional representation, and geopolitical influences. This interdisciplinary issue involves lawyers, mathematicians, and policy advocates, prompting new computational methods and mathematical research. Upcoming analyses aim to be proactive, considering communities of interest and incumbency. Mattingly's journey began with an undergraduate project in 2013, leading to significant legal testimonies and collaborative research, making these concepts accessible to students and the public.Jonathan Christopher Mattingly grew up in Charlotte. He graduated from the NC School of Science and Mathematics and received a BS is Applied Mathematics with a concentration in physics from Yale University. After two years abroad with a year spent at ENS Lyon studying nonlinear and statistical physics on a Rotary Fellowship, he returned to the US to attend Princeton University where he obtained a PhD in Applied and Computational Mathematics in 1998 under the supervision of Yakov Sinai. After 4 years as a Szego assistant professor at Stanford University and a year as a member of the IAS in Princeton, he moved to Duke in 2003. In 2019 he was named a James B. Duke Professor of Mathematics and a Professor of Statistical Science. In 2023 he was named the Kimberly J. Jenkins Distinguished University Professor of New Technologies.The Memorial Union parking ramp is located on the south side of the Memorial Union, adjacent to Lincoln Way. After parking in the ramp, enter the building from any level through the stairwell or elevator in the northeast corner of the ramp. Navigate to building level 2 and follow the cardinal and gold wayfinding signage along Floor 2 to the Sun Room. Before leaving the building after the event, pay for parking at the pay station found on Floor 2, then take the elevator or stairs to your parking level.

Sustainability in Ames and the Climate Action Plan
6:00 PM – Garden Room, Reiman Gardens - Over the past several years, the City of Ames responded to climate changes by setting a target for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and rethinking how the city supports community and energy needs responsibly. The city's Sustainability Coordinator Nolan Sagan will share information about the plan, sustainability efforts in Ames, and resources for citizens and businesses about reducing GHG's and/or addressing climate impact.Note: This event will not be recorded.

One Way Back
6:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Christine Blasey Ford is a professor of psychology at Palo Alto University and a clinical professor and consulting biostatistician at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Time magazine included Ford on its shortlist for Person of the Year in 2018. In 2019, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in Time  100, nominated by then-Senator Kamala Harris. In 2019, she won the inaugural Christine Blasey Ford Woman of Courage Award, and the ACLU's Roger Baldwin Courage Award.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 ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

Is There More to Mental Health? Let’s Discuss Flourishing, Suffering, and Spirituality
7:30 PM – South Ballroom, Memorial Union - 2025 Veritas ForumDr. Warren Kinghorn, a psychiatrist from Duke University, believes that modern mental health has produced helpful medications and practices but that the benefits are limited by an overly individualistic and mechanistic view of what a person is. Using the alternate view of a person posited by Thomas Aquinas, a Christian thinker, Dr. Kinghorn suggests reframing how we think about mental health without discarding the beneficial treatments of modern medicine. Join us for a conversation featuring Dr. Kinghorn and Dr. F. Marty Martinez, a psychologist who retired in 2021 after working at ISU for 33 years. Dr. Eric Weber, ISU professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics, will moderate.  Dr. Warren Kinghorn is associate professor of psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center, co-director of the Theology, Medicine, and Culture Initiative at Duke Divinity School, and a staff psychiatrist at the Durham VA Medical Center.  Dr. F. Marty Martinez has a PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He served as a staff and sport psychologist at the ISU Counseling Center for 33 years until he retired in 2021 to go into private practice. He also served as a team sport psychologist for USA Track & Field. This event is the 2025 Veritas Forum. It is sponsored by the Christian Faculty and Staff Association and the Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government). Note: The recording of this lecture will be shared on a delay. Please check back.

The Past, Present, and Sustainable Future of Our Infrastructural Networks
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - 2025 Symposium on Sustainability KeynoteDr. Deb Chachra, PhD, is a distinguished materials scientist and professor at Olin College of Engineering. She specializes in biological materials and infrastructure, with a keen interest in engineering education. Dr. Chachra is the author of the book How Infrastructure Works: Inside the Systems That Shape Our World (2023), which explores the intricate systems that underpin our daily lives.Dr. Chachra earned her Bachelor of Science, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Materials Science from the University of Toronto. Her doctoral research focused on the influence of fluoride on bone quality, supervised by Marc Grynpas. She later conducted postdoctoral research at MIT, investigating how bone responds to aging and the shelf-life of bioprosthetic heart valves. At Olin College, Dr. Chachra has been a pioneer in developing student-centered learning experiences, emphasizing hands-on, design-focused courses. Her work aims to foster motivation and reflective practice among young technologists. She is also deeply involved in educational research, particularly in improving retention and diversity in engineering education for women and minority students.Dr. Chachra has written for various publications, including The Atlantic and Nature, and maintains a popular newsletter called Metafoundry. Her work has been recognized with awards such as the NSF CAREER Award.This lecture has been recorded and is available to view on the Available Recordings page.

Reiman Gardens Sneak Peek 2025: Picture Perfect: Celebrating 30 Years of Beauty at Reiman Gardens
6:00 PM – Garden Room, Reiman Gardens - Join Education Director Sara Merritt for a preview of what Reiman Gardens has in store for 2025 as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary! From instagrammable summer displays to once-in-a-lifetime parties, special events, educational programs, and more.Note: This event will not be recorded.

Wake Up the “Watchdog”: Ensuring Our Government Doesn’t Misuse Our Taxes
6:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - Rob Sand is the State Auditor, a position he was first elected to in 2018; he is currently the only Democratic Party statewide officeholder in Iowa.  Rob is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Iowa College of Law. He interned in Washington, D.C. for Democratic Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, and then began working for Democratic campaigns in Iowa. After graduating law school, Rob was appointed Assistant Attorney General, and he became the lead prosecutor for two high profile cases: the Iowa Film Office tax credit scandal and the Hot Lotto fraud scandal.  Since becoming state auditor, Rob developed the Public Innovations and Efficiencies Program, which awards fiscal efficiency in government. He promoted individuals who made contributions to his opponents' campaigns into the most senior positions in the Auditor's Office. This is part of his commitment to a balanced approach to his Truth and Anti-Partisanship approach to public service. This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

A Dialogue About Congress and Bipartisanship
7:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - 2025 Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and PoliticsA conversation with Former U.S. Representatives Vicky Hartzler and David Skaggs, and Dr. Karen Kedrowski, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.Vicky Hartzler is a former U.S. Representative for Missouri's 4th congressional district (2011-2023). A Republican, she previously served in the Missouri House of Representatives (1995-2001). Hartzler, an educator and businesswoman, focused on issues like agriculture, religious liberties, and foreign policy during her tenure. She ran for the U.S. Senate in 2022 but lost in the Republican primary.David Skaggs is a former U.S. Representative for Colorado's 2nd congressional district, serving from 1987 to 1999. A Democrat, he also served in the Colorado House of Representatives (1981-1987), including two terms as Minority Leader. Skaggs has worked on the House Appropriations and Intelligence Committees and championed bipartisan cooperation through the House Bipartisan Retreats. After Congress, he founded the Center for Democracy & Citizenship and supported various democratic initiatives. He holds a J.D. from Yale Law School and served as a Major in the U.S. Marine Corps, including active duty in Vietnam. Skaggs is married with three children and four grandchildren.

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. The University Book Store will be onsite selling copies of A Christian Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers at the event.This lecture was recorded and can be viewed on the Available Recordings page.

NICU and Hemodynamics
7:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - Hear from two physicians from the Stead Family Children's Hospital who will disuss the work they do, including the program that has lead the hospital to become a global leader in treatment for premature infants.Note: This lecture will not be recorded and is not available for card scanning. 

Playstrengths: Engaging with the Playspirit
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Kirk Lynn is a playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. As one of the five Artistic Directors of the Rude Mechs theatre collective, Lynn has written and adapted over 20 plays. The Rude Mechs is an internationally-renowned ensemble-based theatre company from Austin, Texas, focused on devising and producing new American theatre. Rude Mechs has received over 200 local and national awards and nominations for their work. Lynn earned his MFA as a fellow at the Michener Center for Writers and is an Associate Professor of playwriting at the University of Texas in Austin.Kirk Lynn's "Playstrengths" workshop offers an opportunity to rejuvenate your creative energies by engaging deeply with the playspirit. Through a blend of dynamic games and theoretical exploration, participants can enhance their artistic practice, bringing new perspectives and inspiration to their work. The workshop fosters a sense of community, encouraging collaboration and shared growth among peers. By embracing the chaos and spontaneity of play, students can unlock fresh approaches to problem-solving and daily challenges, leading to a more vibrant and innovative personal and academic life.This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

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 was recorded and can be viewed on the Available Recordings page.

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. 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 have taken her to six continents and more than 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.