Dr. Mary J.C. Hendrix, president of Shepherd University, has created this distinguished lecture series—for the campus and community, and it has become part of the Lifelong Learning Program.
Spring 2025
All lectures, which are free and open to the public, take place in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education auditorium. These lectures will also be livestreamed on the Shepherd University Youtube channel.
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A Deep Dive: Ocean Currents, Politics, and Possibilities
January 28 | 6:30 p.m.
Craig McLean, Retired, Chief Scientist and Assistant Administrator for Research at the National oceanic and atmospheric association (NOAA)
The ocean influences American lives daily, from the coast to the heartland of the nation, from the crops we eat, the oxygen we breathe, to the weather we endure. At the close of WWII, the United States and other nations had developed technology to reveal much about the ocean, and chose to pursue the linkage between the ocean and the atmosphere. Those decades of work have defined what we know today as climate science and has brought us better weather forecasts; if you like your seven day weather forecast, thank an oceanographer. In exploring and studying the ocean our speaker, Craig McLean, will take you on a journey of science, discovery, law, and the politics of the ocean.
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2024 Nobel Prize Topics
February 18 | 6:30 p.m.
Shepherd University faculty will discuss the topics of the 2024 Nobel Prize winning awards
- The Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks ” – Dr. Jeff Groff – Professor of Applied Physics
- The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2024 “for computational protein design and protein structure prediction” – Dr. Robert Warburton – Dean, College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Nursing and Professor of Biochemistry
- The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 “for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation” – Dr. Connor Sipe – Associate Professor of Biology
- The Nobel Prize in Literature 2024 “for her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas and exposes the fragility of human life ” – Dr. Rachel Krantz – Associate Professor of French
- The Nobel Peace Prize 2024 “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again” – Dr. Stephanie Slocum-Schaffer – Professor of Political Science
- The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2024 “for studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity” – Dr. Amanda Mandzik – Associate Professor of Business, Accounting, Economics, and Finance
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Engaged Learning in the Midst of Conflict: Who’s Up For the Challenge?
March 25| 6:30 p.m.
Dr. Susan Hirsch, Professor of Conflict Resolution and Anthropology, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University
How can we tackle 21st century conflicts when civility, empathy, and authenticity are in such short supply? The interdisciplinary peace and conflict field offers some hope. And some strategies for educators and learners in higher ed and beyond.
Drawing on decades of research and teaching about peace, conflict, and justice, Dr. Susan Hirsch, a cultural anthropologist, advocates for engaged learning, an approach that emphasizes learning through doing. For instance, an engaged learning course might bring together students and community members to address an ongoing conflict. Engaged learning can provide insight into complex conflicts, such as migration, criminal justice reform, and systemic inequality, while also imparting the skills, techniques, and confidence needed to take on these and other domestic and global challenges in ethical and constructive ways.
Research shows that engaged learning experiences are highly valuable, yet they can be controversial and hard to pull off. As Hirsch argues, successful engaged learning should:
- Take you out of your comfort zone.
- Cause you to think before you speak.
- Encourage you to reflect critically.
- Motivate you to act.
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For more information, contact Lucinda Powers, Director of Continuing Education & Lifelong Learning, at Lpowers@shepherd.edu or 304-876-5135.