Frankenstien, zombies, hover cars, leadership, and College Lake. These are just some of the subjects that speakers will talk about in the University of Lynchburg Senior Symposium Lecture Series this spring.
The theme for this semester is “The Clarity of Hindsight,” with categories including technology, identity, and the environment. Seniors supplement the lecture topics by reading from a variety of texts, ranging from Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus” to the Nobel Prize acceptance speech of Malala Yousavzai.
The lectures are held on Mondays at noon in Memorial Ballroom, Hall Campus Center. All are free and open to the public.
A full schedule follows.
Unit 1: Technology
January 27 – “On Second Thought: Unintended Consequences in ‘Frankenstein’ and Modern Medicine” by Dr. Price Blair, associate professor, School of Physical Therapy; School of PA Medicine, University of Lynchburg
February 3: “The Rise of the Six Million Dollar (Hu)man” by Dr. Sean Collins, associate professor of exercise physiology, University of Lynchburg
February 10: “The Future is History, or: Dude, Where’s my Hovercar?” by Dr. Will Briggs, professor of computer science, University of Lynchburg
Unit 2: Identity
February 24: “Unsettling the Archive: Positioning Yourself for Possibilities” by Sarah Plummer, ASPECT PhD student, Virginia Tech
March 2: “Of Zombies Past: Writhing, Wailing, and Writing on the Wall” by Dr. Larycia Hawkins, visiting professor of political science, University of Virginia
March 16: “Not Too Young to Lead” by Dr. Owen Cardwell, The Rosel Schewel Distinguished Chair in Education, University of Lynchburg
Unit 3: The environment
March 30: “World Order and Climate Change” by Dr. Greg Haugan, retired senior executive service bureau director, U.S. Department of Transportation; professorial lecturer for the Graduate School of Business Administration, The American University
April 6: “Working for Solutions” by Dune Lankard, founder and executive director, Native Conservancy; founder and president, Eyak Preservation Council; board director, Green Wave
April 20: “Thinking Like a Watershed: The case of College Lake” by Dr. Laura Henry-Stone, associate professor of environmental studies and sustainability; director of sustainability, University of Lynchburg
