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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.

Ancient Origins of Religious Conflict
6:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - In this public lecture, Dr. Robert Cargill, the Roger A. Hornsby Assoc. Professor in the Classics at the University of Iowa, will discuss the ancient origins of several religious conflicts around the world, asking whether religion is indeed responsible for these conflicts, or whether other factors such as nationalism, ethnicity, politics, or socio-economic issues like trade and wealth distribution play a role in these conflicts. Particular attention will be given to the present war between Israel and Hamas, and the ongoing and historical tensions between Israel, Palestine and other regional players.This lecture was recorded (audio only) and can be accessed on the Available Recordings page.

Native American Cuisine, Foods, and the Way of Life
6:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Chef Freddie Bitsoie (bit-sue-ee) will discuss the cultural progression of foods in the western hemisphere, and how native foods of the western hemisphere have been claimed, misused, appropriated and overlooked for centuries. Chef Bitsoie will discuss how these foods survived through migration, colonization, and cuisine culture. Initially pursuing cultural anthropology at the University of New Mexico, a conversation with an archaeology professor led Bitsoie to the culinary arts. He pursued mastery at Le Cordon Bleu in Scottsdale, Arizona, and soon became a distinguished figure on the Food Network and at the Mitsitam Native Foods café, where he served as the Executive Chef within the National Museum of the American Indian. In 2021, he published the cookbook New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian, which showcases the variety of flavor and culinary history, providing modern interpretations of 100 recipes that have long fed this country.This lecture will be recorded and added to the Available Recordings site only for those with an ISU Net ID for two weeks following the conclusion of the event.Chef Freddie Bitsoie Special Menu at Friley Windows on Nov. 19, 3-7pm; $15  

Glad Tidings to the Strangers
7:30 PM – 2155 Marston - Islam began as something strange and it will leave as something strange. This is not an excuse to be unusual without a reason, as Muslims have practices out of the ordinary such as praying when other sleep and fasting while others eat. This is why "glad tidings" are given to the strangers. When it is unusual to be righteous, Muslims stand out as the pious.Please note: This event is available for extra credit but will not be recorded.Students may card scan after one hour; the event may go longer but attendance is not required.

Trans Athletes and the Future of Sports
6:00 PM – Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall - For the past several years—and during the summer Olympics—the issue of trans athletes’ participation in sports has never been far from the headlines. State legislatures, sports’ governing bodies, celebrities, and political leaders have all gotten involved—particularly when the topic is about who can compete in girls’ and women’s sports.  This panel will discuss the current issues about trans athletes participating in sports and what the future of sports could be when everyone gets to compete.This panel will be live-streamed and viewers will be able to text questions for the panel. Visit this link to access the livestream. Instructions for texting questions will be provided here a few days before the event.Only ISU students with a valid ISU ID will be admitted to this event. Seating is limited to 200 and will be first-come, first seated.Extra Credit AttendanceStudents who attend in person need to have their student ID scanned when they leave.Students who watch the live stream: At the end of the event, a message will be displayed with the following instructions and info.Within 15 minutes of the panel ending, email the following info to lectures@iastate.eduSubject line: Trans athlete panel extra creditYour nameYour 9-digit student ID number (the middle set of numbers on your ID)The code word on the screen; it will say "Codeword: [word here]"PanelistsKeenan Crow is the director of Policy and Advocacy at One Iowa, a statewide LGBTQ advocacy organization. Keenan joined the organization after a history of political and non-profit involvement with organizations such as Cedar Valley Citizens for Undoing Racism. As One Iowa’s staff lobbyist and spokesperson on policy issues, they are on the front lines of the fight for LGBTQ equality in the state of Iowa. Additionally, Keenan has worked to train a diverse number of organizations and institutions around LGBTQ issues including K-16 educators, local and federal agencies, businesses, and health care providers. In 2019 they became the first non-binary person to moderate a presidential forum. They are a recipient of the 2023 Interfaith Alliance of Iowa partner award and the 2023 Iowa Environmental Council’s Impact Through Advocacy Award.Dr. Christina Roberts is a Professor of Pediatrics working at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center in New York City. Prior to starting at Mount Sinai, she served on active duty with the United States Navy from 1995 to 2018 and worked as the Program Director of the Adolescent Medicine Fellowship at Children’s Mercy, Kansas City, from 2018 to 2023. Her clinical involvement in Gender Medicine began in June 2016 when the military first allowed active duty service members and their families to obtain gender-affirming medical care in the military healthcare system. While in the Navy, she helped establish the administrative guidelines for delivering gender-affirming care to active duty service members in the Air Force and provided gender-affirming medical care for active duty service members and their family members. At Children’s Mercy, she was a member of the Gender Pathway Services clinic, providing gender-affirming care to transgender and gender-diverse individuals ages 12 to 21. Currently, she is also part of the Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery providing gender-affirming medical care to adolescents and young adults ages 11 to 26.Lia Thomas is a transgender woman, an athlete, and an advocate. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2022 where she competed as an openly transgender swimmer and became the first trans athlete to win an NCAA D1 Championship. She received significant media attention for her competition on the women’s team and has spoken about her experiences and of the importance of inclusion in athletics. In addition to her NCAA awards, she has been named one of the 100 most Influential Philadelphians in 2022 and The Trustee’s Council of Penn Women’s 2022 Athletic Achievement Award.Dr. Kelly L. Winfrey became director of the Women’s and Gender Studies Program in August 2022. She is also an associate professor and director of Graduate Education in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. Her research focuses on gender and political campaign communication. She published Understanding How Women Vote: Gender Identity and Political Choices (Praeger) in 2018, and she has published journal articles and book chapters on gender group identification voters, the effects of gender in presidential and U.S. Senate campaigns, perceptions of candidate image by debate viewers, online self-presentation strategies of political candidates, media coverage of women candidates, and the content and effects of presidential campaign television ads. Winfrey teaches classes on political campaigns, gender and leadership, public relations, and research methods. She also regularly mentors undergraduate and graduate students interested in researching gender and politics. 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.

Gold Star Hall Ceremony
4:15 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Gold Star Hall is the "memorial" in the Memorial Union. In World War I, when a family had a son or daughter in the service, they displayed a card with a simple blue star in their window. When life was lost, the card with the blue star was changed to one with a gold star - hence the name Gold Star Hall. The blue/gold star tradition continues, with military families still displaying these symbols.When the Memorial Union opened in 1928, the names of the Iowa Staters who died in World War I were carved into the walls. In 1969, the names of WWII casualties were mounted on two bronze doors in the zodiac foyer. In 1984, the bronze doors were removed, and the names from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam were engraved into the limestone inside Gold Star Hall. In subsequent years, additional names were engraved for WW I, WW II, Korea, Vietnam, the USS Liberty, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Gold Star Hall embodies the Memorium that the entire building represents.2024 HonoreesSidney Peterson – WWII – US Army Air ForceFrom Ringsted, IA. Worked in steel mills in Chicago. Active in Forestry Club and Military Department’s Trumpet and Drum Corps while at ISU. During training he flew from Brazil to Morocco, flying over the equator. Was very kindhearted, took on his last flight when he could have gone home because someone else was sick. Died aboard a B-26 Marauder after they took on anti-aircraft fire. He was declared MIA (four crewmembers died, two were POW and eventually released). He was awarded a distinguished flying cross, air medal, 10 oak leaf cluster and purple heart.  Max Harvey Collins – Korean War – US Air ForceFrom Nevada, IA. Max always wanted to fly, even as a little boy. He loved model airplanes. He studied aeronautical engineering for his major at ISU with a strong secondary interest in photography. Second Lieutenant Collins was the pilot of a F-86E Sabrejet fighter bomber with the 335th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group. On May 4, 1953, while starting combat mission, his aircraft crashed on take-off.  James Herrick – Vietnam – US Air ForceFrom Panora, IA. Had 9 children in his family, 8 boys, 1 girl. Recovered fully from Polio as a child. Completed Animal Husbandry bachelors degree and finished his ROTC program with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Flew Douglas Skyraider. Died in Thailand during a recon mission. Family remembers him as a handsome, quiet and kind young man with a heart full of love for animals.  There will be a reception to follow the ceremony. This is a free event open to the public. The ceremony will not be recorded. A livestream is available here. 

Under the Influence ... of Stress
6:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - As Bill Daniels Professor of Business Ethics and Legal Studies at the University of Denver, Corey Ciocchetti is one of the University’s most popular and highest-rated professors. Corey joined DU after graduating with a law degree from Duke University School of Law, a master's degree in Religious Studies, and two bachelor's degrees in Finance and Economics—summa cum laude—from the University of Denver. Corey is a talented speaker and teacher and has won multiple teaching and speaking awards including the Outstanding Professor of the Year Award and the Joel Goldman Award for most respected speaker on the CAMPUSPEAK roster. In 2023, he was named as one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors in the country. Corey currently teaches business law and ethics classes in a department ranked by the Wall Street Journal and Business Week in the top ten nationwide for producing students with high ethical standards. Corey also speaks to tens of thousands of individuals each year about “authentic success” and living an ethical life and is the author of the book Inspire Integrity: Chase An Authentic Life. Over the past eighteen years, he has spoken to diverse audiences in over 350 cities and 46 states. A Colorado native, Corey resides in Denver with his wife, Jillian, and daughters Sophia and Sydney. The University Book Store will be onsite selling copies of Inspire Integrity: Chase An Authentic Life at the event.This lecture was recorded and can be viewed on the Available Recordings page.

No Fashion Without Disability: Embracing Disability as Knowledge and Access as an Aesthetic
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - There has been a rise in clothing and accessories designed for disabled people under the moniker of adaptive fashion. Accompanied by increased representations of disabled models in fashion media and the introduction of disabled mannequins in fashion exhibitions, adaptive fashion is often celebrated as evidence of the industry's commitment to diversity. However, my lecture challenges this assumed inclusivity strategy. I propose a new framework to embed disability into fashion practice and education. Drawing on my disability-led fashion projects, research with disabled fashion students and the Parsons Disabled Fashion Student Program, I will demonstrate how disability experience can be harnessed as design knowledge and how access can be manifested as an aesthetic. This approach reveals the creative possibilities that emerge when disabled people are fulsomely embedded in fashion and education, while also exposing the persistent ableist attitudes and systems that hinder true systemic inclusion. I highlight practical recommendations for educators, students, and researchers to recognize the brilliance that disability brings to fashion, design, and education, urging us to make it a fundamental part of our work.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.Pictured is a headshot of Ben Barry — a white, Disabled, cis gender man with low vision. He has short brown hair and he is wearing a shirt made up of different pieces of patterned fabric that have been sewn together. His head is tilted to the left and resting on his hand, and his brown eyes look into the camera.This lecture is ready to view on the Available Recordings page.

UFOs and UAPs: The Latest Tech to Detect What’s in Our Skies
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - UFOs and UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) have captured the world’s imagination for decades. Renewed attention came in 2021 when the U.S. Intelligence community released its first public UFO report. Despite stating that there is no credible evidence for alien-originating craft, the U.S. government admitted there are objects unknown to us in the atmosphere—foreign government spy balloons, unregistered drones, and other earth-based tech that traditional radar has trouble finding and identifying. NASA and the Department of Defense have created units dedicated to new technologies for detecting what’s in our skies.Travis S. Taylor has doctorates in Optical Science and Engineering and in Aerospace Systems Engineering; and master’s degrees in Physics and Aerospace Engineering—all from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He also has a master’s degree in Astronomy from the University of Western Sydney (Australia) and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University (Alabama). Dr. Taylor worked in various programs for the Department of Defense and NASA for more than 20 years. His projects included advanced propulsion concepts, very large space telescopes, space-based beamed energy systems, and next-generation space launch concepts. Dr. Taylor was the chief scientist on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force 2020-2021 (now the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office in the Defense Department) and now works for Radiance Technologies. Dr. Taylor has written 19 science fiction novels, two textbooks, and more than a dozen technical papers. Dr. Taylor has appeared and starred in several television programs including the History Channel’s The Universe and Life After People, National Geographic Channel’s hit shows Rocket City Rednecks and When Aliens Attack, The Weather Channel’s 3 Scientists Walk Into a Bar, and History Channel's Ancient Aliens, UneXplained, and hit series The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.  This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

UFOs and UAPs: The Latest Tech to Detect What’s in Our Skies
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - UFOs and UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) have captured the world’s imagination for decades. Renewed attention came in 2021 when the U.S. Intelligence community released its first public UFO report. Despite stating that there is no credible evidence for alien-originating craft, the U.S. government admitted there are objects unknown to us in the atmosphere—foreign government spy balloons, unregistered drones, and other earth-based tech that traditional radar has trouble finding and identifying. NASA and the Department of Defense have created units dedicated to new technologies for detecting what’s in our skies.Travis S. Taylor has doctorates in Optical Science and Engineering and in Aerospace Systems Engineering; and master’s degrees in Physics and Aerospace Engineering—all from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He also has a master’s degree in Astronomy from the University of Western Sydney (Australia) and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University (Alabama). Dr. Taylor worked in various programs for the Department of Defense and NASA for more than 20 years. His projects included advanced propulsion concepts, very large space telescopes, space-based beamed energy systems, and next-generation space launch concepts.Dr. Taylor was the chief scientist on the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force 2020-2021 (now the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office in the Defense Department) and now works for Radiance Technologies.Dr. Taylor has written 19 science fiction novels, two textbooks, and more than a dozen technical papers. Dr. Taylor has appeared and starred in several television programs including the History Channel’s The Universe and Life After People, National Geographic Channel’s hit shows Rocket City Rednecks and When Aliens Attack, The Weather Channel’s 3 Scientists Walk Into a Bar, and History Channel's Ancient Aliens, UneXplained, and hit series The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.This lecture will be recorded and ready to view on the Available Recordings page approximately 24-36 hours after the conclusion of the event.

9th Annual Three-Minute Thesis Final Competition
6:00 PM – South Ballroom, Memorial Union - The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) celebrates research being conducted by current ISU graduate students. Developed by the University of Queensland, the competition is an opportunity for students to describe their research, in three minutes, in a relatable and relevant way to a non-specialist audience. The cosponsors of this event have provided access to a live stream via the Graduate College's Facebook page.