This semester brings a range of exciting virtual and in-person events to the Arts & Sciences community, including three upcoming named lectures. Be sure to mark your calendar for these talks, and check out the Arts & Sciences calendar for more interesting topics and notable speakers!
James E. McLeod Memorial Lecture on Higher Education
September 30
Gerald Early, Professor of English and of African and African-American Studies and the Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters, Washington University
“Remembering James McLeod and the Rise of Black Studies at Washington University”
Founded by the Center for the Humanities in honor of the esteemed vice chancellor of students who passed away in 2011, the series focuses on the role of the liberal arts in higher education, a subject especially meaningful to Dean McLeod. Speakers include academics and journalists who have written about the liberal arts and higher education, both positively and critically, as well as noted people who talk about how the liberal arts affected their lives and their career choices.
Past Speakers: Cathy Davidson, 2018; Sarah Ahmed, 2017; Christopher Newfield, 2016; Rebecca Ginsburg, 2015
2021 Event Details About the Series
Robert Morrell Memorial Lecture in Asian Religions
October 25
Laurel Kendall, American Museum of Natural History
“Gods and Things in Four Asian Places”
Named after the late Professor Emeritus Robert E. Morrell, this annual series commemorates his life work by bringing distinguished scholars of Asian religions to campus. Robert Morrell taught Japanese literature and Buddhism, and was the first to teach courses on Buddhism at Washington University.
Past Speakers: Levi McLaughlin, 2020; Michael Bathgate, 2019; Robert Campany, 2018; Barbara R. Ambros, 2017
2021 Event Details About the Series
Robert M. Walker Distinguished Lecture Series
November 30
Kevin McKeegan, Distinguished Professor of Cosmochemistry and Geochemistry, University of California–Los Angeles
"Sampling the Solar System: A key in our quest to understand Earth's origin and evolution"
The McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences sponsors the lecture series in memory of Robert M. Walker, the center’s inaugural director from 1975-1999. Walker was a pioneering physicist who played a decisive role in shaping research in the space sciences, not only at the university but also worldwide.
Past Speakers: Kip S. Thorne, 2019; David Charbonneau, 2018; George Philander, 2017; Gabriela Gonzalez, 2016; Edward C. Stone, 2015
2021 Event Details About the Series
