2022-2023 Distinguished Lecturers

| March 28, 2023 | Theme: Community Empowerment and Well-being |

Dr. Chelsea Schelly

Lecturer

Distinguished Lecturer, Dr. Chelsea Schelly

Topic

Confronting Complexity while Keeping our Heads and our Hearts (And Keeping Communities Centered in Collaborative Science)

Research Statement

As a sociologist who studies the relationship among social systems, infrastructural systems, and ecological systems, Dr. Schelly sees complexity everywhere. In this talk, Dr. Schelly will highlight some current projects and the complex intersections among social, ecological, and infrastructural systems being studied, highlighting how these intersections ultimately impact real conditions of wellbeing for individuals and communities. The increasing threats to human wellbeing associated with surpassing planetary limits, the locked-in nature of infrastructures and the socio-economic systems that maintain them, and the pace and uncertainty associated with social change are all daunting complexities. To address these complexities as a researcher without being overwhelmed by the challenges, Dr. Schelly advocates for collaborative, community-engaged research processes that provide opportunities to celebrate diverse experiences and forms of expertise while staying focused on the potential impact of research in terms of enhanced community empowerment and wellbeing. This talk highlights collaboration and community engagement as opportunities for researchers to address daunting complexities without losing our heads or our hearts in the process. 

Learn more about Chelsea Schelly

|February 15, 2023|Theme: Viewing our Universe through the Gamma-Ray Window|

Petra Huentemeyer

Lecturer

Distinguished Professor Dr. Petra Huentemeyer 

Topic

Viewing our Universe through the Gamma-Ray Window 

Research Statement

Significant advancements in electronics, computing, and communication technology have led to remarkable improvements in the sensitivity and image resolution of sky surveys using ground-based gamma-ray detector arrays. This has led to groundbreaking, sometimes paradigm shifting discoveries in astrophysics, and unprecedented tests of fundamental laws of physics governing our Universe at the extremes. Among the goals of the research involving the observation of gamma-rays from space are tackling fundamental questions such as the location and nature of dark matter and testing the limits of invariance that is required by special relativity. To this end we are planning to build a next-generation gamma-ray observatory in the Southern Hemisphere, with an unprecedented view of the Galactic Center. I will describe the research & design, and other preparations going into constructing such a facility, and how sufficient funding support can only be secured through an international collaboration of science communities across the globe.

Learn more about Petra Huentemeyer 

|December 1, 2022|Theme: What is an endangered species?|

John Vucetich

Lecturer

Distinguished Professor Dr. John Vucetich  

Topic

What is an endangered species?

Research Statement

We know that red squirrels and raccoons are not endangered, and that pandas and tigers are endangered. But, if an endangered species is one that deserves special protections, like those afforded by the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), then it is fair to say we have a disturbingly inadequate sense for what an endangered species is. The ESA provides a legal definition of an endangered species. That is, one that is “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” That definition has been interpreted through five different policies advanced over the past 20 years. Through a series of about 15 federal court cases, each policy has been rejected by the courts. The Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to develop a new policy in the near future. In this talk, I’ll review far-reaching concerns of this problem, including its ecological, philosophical, and political dimensions.

Learn more about Dr. John Vucetich

|October 12, 2022|Theme: Transportation Energy Utilization|

Jeff Naber

Lecturer

University Professor Dr. Jeff Naber 

Topic

The Changing Landscape in Transportation Energy Utilization

Research Statement

Energy utilization for mobility, industrial, and transportation is undergoing significant changes with the advancement of technologies in electrical energy storage and power conversion. We will discuss how this is changing industry and engineering and examine regulation and how this impacts consumers and other stakeholders. I will discuss ongoing research projects in light-duty vehicles to industrial applications.

Learn more about Dr. Jeff Naber