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Ted Bundy and the Unsolved Murder Epidemic
6:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - Dr. Matt DeLisi revisits the life and crimes of Ted Bundy in his newbook, Ted Bundy and the Unsolved Murder Epidemic, which seeks to reconcile the contradictions and controversies about his life that underscore the broader U.S. unsolved murder problem, one that is estimated between 250,000 to 350,000 open, unresolved, or cold cases. The incidence of crime is far greater than is captured by official statistics; most offenses are never detected, a concept known as the dark figure of crime which is explored here. Drawing on 25 years of practitioner, research, and consultant experiences with the most violent criminals, Dr. DeLisi offers solutions toward clearing the current backlog of unsolved murders in the United States many of which were never reported and disproportionately perpetrated by offenders like Bundy. This compelling book speaks to students, academics and readers interested in true crime, serial murder, homicide and criminal justice.Matt DeLisi is Professor and Coordinator of Criminal Justice Studies and Faculty Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Violence at Iowa State University. Professor DeLisi's primary research interests include criminal careers/career criminals, self-control theory, corrections, psychopathy, and the molecular/behavioral genetics of antisocial behavior.The University Book Store will be onsite selling his books at the event.This lecture was recorded and can be viewed on the Available Recordings page.

The Economics of Artificial Intelligence
6:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - I.W. Arthur Memorial LectureEconomist Tyler Cowen will discuss the benefits and dangers of artificial intelligence (AI). Cowen believes that those who are worried about AI destroying humankind need to make a more convincing case for their concerns. Cowen thinks that those worried about AI are too willing to limit freedoms and empower government to reduce the uncertain risk.Cowen is a professor of Economics at George Mason University and at the Center for the Study of Public Choice. He is also the director of the Mercatus Center, which does research to advance the knowledge about how markets solve problems. Dr. Cowen writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. His latest book, Talent, was published in 2022.About I.W. ArthurIra W. “Duke” Arthur was born in Iowa in 1893.  He graduated from Ames High School in 1912 as president of his senior class.  He then attended Iowa State College where he studied animal husbandry.  After graduating in 1916, he briefly taught animal husbandry at the University of Georgia.  However, when war broke out he became a World War I flier with the United States Air Corps.  After the war, he returned to Ames where he completed a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics in 1927.  He continued his study of economics, first at the University of Chicago and then at the University of Minnesota where he received his doctorate in 1939.    I.W. Arthur joined the Iowa State Economics Department in 1936.  He became a full professor in 1959.  His duties were divided between extension and teaching.  His extension research and activities included contributions in the areas of farm leases, land tenure, social security, partnership agreements, pork and beef marketing, and rural human capital.  However, his greatest contributions were in undergraduate teaching.  His students admired him both for his kind, compassionate nature and for his straightforward, no-nonsense approach to economic problems.    The Department of Economics at Iowa State is proud to dedicate this seminar to the memory of I.W. Arthur and to the academic spirit that he strived to enhance. The University Book Store will be onsite selling his books at the event.This lecture was recorded and can be viewed on the Available Recordings page. 

Heralds: A Symphony of Women's Voices Auguring Change
7:30 PM – Simon Estes Music Hall - The ISU Symphony Orchestra and Artistic announces Symphony of Diversity 2023: Heralds: A Symphony of Women’s Voices Auguring Change.” The 2023 concert boldly tackles the societal issue of violence against women through a free public symposium, hosted by the Ames Public Library on Friday, April 28 at 4pm, and a free orchestral performance on Saturday, April 29 at 7:30pm at Simon Estes Music Hall, Iowa State University. The public symposium, to begin with a short musical performance, will bring together three influential: world-famous violinist Lara St. John, whose successful campaign to hold the Curtis Institute accountable for her assault when she was a student there made international headlines; Rebecca Stienstra, a senior policy analyst from the Canadian Ministry of Women and Gender Equity; and Assistant Chief Carrie Jacobs of the Iowa State University Police Department. The moderated panel discussion at the Ames Public Library auditorium will focus on the prevention of violence against women and holding institutions accountable. NOTE: This event will not offer card scanning for extra credit.

How are We Approaching Cancer Treatment? From Cyclops Sheep to Vaccines
6:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Speaker: Amy Andreotti

Ignite Your Spark
11:00 AM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Speaker: Magan Lewis, Ph.D. More details to come.

A Humorous Guide to Financial Success
6:00 PM – 2630 Memorial Union - Speaker: Colin Ryan Featured everywhere from NPR and PBS to the Moth Radio Hour and Reader’s Digest, Colin Ryan is a comedic financial speaker, author, and an award-winning storyteller. Colin was named one of the top 10 finance presenters in America, and to date has spoken to over 1 million students and adults. Colin is the author of “A Comedic Guide to Money” and the creator of “Public Speaking for Leaders.” As a speaker’s mentor, Colin is dedicated to helping talented educators, experts, leaders and public figures become unforgettable communicators. Colin served as a passionate advocate for economic equality on the Vermont Commission on Women, and now lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife Lindsey Lathrop and their dog Remy.

Leveling the Playing Field in Digital Clinical Trials
6:00 PM – South Ballroom, Memorial Union - Clinical trials are the workhorse of testing new treatments with regards to evaluating the effect they have on health outcomes. Traditional clinical trials and clinical research studies are often centralized around a specific physical location such as a clinic or hospital and rely heavily on a “high-touch”, in-person approach with study staff and coordinators. The downstream effects can have a negative impact on recruitment from populations not affiliated with the site despite potentially benefiting the most from the proposed research. Decentralizing the model and designing for the participant to meet them where they are provides a new paradigm. The advent and continued advance of digital health technologies has added considerable flexibility in the types of research questions that can be asked and answered. Importantly, the shift in study design has also brought significant opportunities to address the pressing issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical trials and clinical research. The era of digital medicine and the explosion of decentralized studies as a result of the pandemic is a reminder that there is always room for innovation, however, we must simultaneously harness this innovation to address the healthy divide experienced by so many of our communities. This event will be recorded and available for two weeks on the Lectures website at https://www.lectures.iastate.edu/recordings/available-recordings

The Farmer's Lawyer: The Fight to Save the Family Farm
6:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - A Pearl Hogrefe Lecture Sarah Vogel is an attorney, advocate, and author of The Farmer’s Lawyer, a memoir about her landmark class action lawsuit, Coleman v. Block. Vogel brought the historic case against the federal government on behalf of 240,000 family farmers facing foreclosure during the 1980s farm crisis. Vogel served two terms as North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture, and was the first woman in U.S. history to be elected to this position. Since its publication, The Farmer’s Lawyer has been shortlisted for the Reading the West Award and was named as an honoree for The Society of Midland Authors Award.

Seeking Justice When a Teenage Victim Fights Back
11:00 PM – 127 Curtiss - Pieper Lewis was 15 when she fatally stabbed her rapist, Zachary Brooks (37 years-old), more than 30 times in June 2020 in a Des Moines apartment. She pleaded guilty in June 2021 to voluntary manslaughter and willful injury. Pieper’s legal team, led by Assistant State Public Defenders Matthew Sheeley, Magdalena Reese, and Paul White, worked tirelessly to seek justice for Pieper who faced up to 20 years in prison and a felony record for killing the man who abused, sexually assaulted, and trafficked her as a juvenile. Polk County District Judge David Porter sentenced Pieper to 5 years of probation at the Fresh Start Women's Center in Des Moines (a transitional facility for women), a deferred judgment (allowing for expungement of Lewis’ criminal record), and ordered her to pay $150,000 in restitution to Brooks’ family. Mr. Sheeley, Mr. White, and Ms. Reese will discuss their handling of Pieper's case, the defenses available to Pieper in the event of trial, the current of Pieper's case, and the public policy implications of punishing individuals who commit criminal acts that are directly related to their status as victims of human trafficking.

Challenges to U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East: The War in Ukraine
6:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Mouin Rabbani is a researcher, analyst, and commentator specializing in Palestinian affairs, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and the contemporary Middle East. He has previously served as Principal Political Affairs Officer with the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Head of Middle East with Crisis Management Initiative/Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, and Senior Middle East Analyst and Special Advisor on Israel-Palestine with the International Crisis Group. Rabbani is Co-Editor of Jadaliyya and Contributing Editor of Middle East Report. At Jadaliyya he edits the Quick Thoughts feature and is host of the Connections podcast A graduate of Tufts University and Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Rabbani has published, presented and commented widely on Middle East issues, including for most major print, television and digital media. A reception will be held following the lecture to allow for further discussion, questions and answers with Mr. Rabbani. This event will be recorded and available for two weeks on the Lectures website at https://www.lectures.iastate.edu/recordings/available-recordings