How Archaeology Killed Biblical History - Dr. Hector Avalos
6:30 PM – Campanile Room, Memorial Union - Hector Avalos is Professor of Religious Studies at Iowa State University. A former fundamentalist preacher and faith healer, Avalos is now one of the few openly atheist biblical scholars in academia. He will discuss how archaeology has been used to refute the claim that the Bible is historically accurate in depicting creation, the Exodus, the reign of Solomon and many other events. Avalos is the author or editor of ten books, including his most recent, The Bad Jesus: The Ethics of New Testament Ethics.

Studying the Fall of the Roman Empire with the Science of the Human Past - Michael McCormick
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Michael McCormick is the Francis Goelet Professor of Medieval History at Harvard University, Director in Cambridge of the Max Planck - Harvard Research Center for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean, and the founding chair of Harvard’s Initiative for the Science of the Human Past. The Initiative brings historians and archaeologists together with other scholars and scientists to apply the tools of 21st-century science and technology to the study of the human past. From using DNA analysis to rethink migration and human health history, to the Digital Atlas of Roman and Medieval Civilization, to studying ice cores to assess human-climate interactions over two millennia, the Initiative’s cross-disciplinary work is breaking new ground.

Catholic Bishops of Mexico and the United States on Immigration - Anne Clifford
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Fifteen years ago, in 2003, Catholic Bishops from Mexico and the United States issued a joint document on immigration titled "Strangers No Longer: Together on a Journey of Hope." It was to encourage persons of good will to consider the causes and effects of migration. Anne Clifford, the Msgr. James A. Supple Chair in Catholic Studies at Iowa State, will discuss this historic document, with attention to Catholic biblically rooted social justice principles and current developments. Msgr. James A. Supple Lecture Series  

If Not Us, Who? Human Dignity in the 21st Century - U.S. Senator Ben Sasse
8:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Senator Ben Sasse is a fifth-generation Nebraskan and is serving his first term in the U.S. Senate. He was elected to the Senate in 2014 on a platform of restoring the Constitution to its rightful place and encouraging more constructive and transparent politics. Much of his career has been spent guiding companies and institutions through times of crisis, including his five years as president of Midland University in his hometown of Fremont, Nebraska. Sasse earned a PhD in American History from Yale University. He is the author of two books, Them: Why We Hate Each Other and How to Heal, and The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-of-Age Crisis--and How to Rebuild a Culture of Self-Reliance. The 2018 Manatt-Phelps Lecture in Political Science.

Lion Conservation on a Crowded Continent - Craig Packer
7:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Craig Packer is director of the Lion Research Center at the University of Minnesota, where he is a professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution & Behavior. For decades, Packer and his research team have conducted comprehensive long-term research on lion behavior and human-lion interaction for the famous Serengeti Lion Project. Their findings have shaped the way we understand lions and their role in complex savannah ecosystems and identified new approaches for protecting these dangerous predators. Packer is the author of Into Africa, which won the 1995 John Burroughs medal, as well as more than 100 scientific articles. Paul L. Errington Memorial Lecture

We Rise: Building a Movement that Restores the Planet - Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
7:00 PM – Great Hall, Memorial Union - Xiuhtezcatl (‘Shu-Tez-Caht) Martinez is a 17-year-old indigenous climate activist, hip-hop artist, and a voice on the front lines of a global youth-led environmental movement. He has addressed the UN General Assembly, taken on local issues such as eliminating pesticides from parks, and is a lead plaintiff in a youth-led lawsuit against the U.S. government for their inaction on climate change. Martinez is Youth Director of the Earth Guardians, a tribe of young activists, artists, and musicians inspiring global change. He published his first book, We Rise, last year, which was followed by an appearance on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. National Affairs Series: Building a Better Democracy Celebrating 10 Years of the Live Green! Initiative Come early to learn more about what Iowa State students are doing to promote sustainability on campus, in our communities, and around the world. Student organizations will share information and displays prior to the talk, 6:15-7:00pm.

Gender and Power in Contemporary Somalia - Fartumo Kusow
7:00 PM – Ames Public Library, 515 Douglas Ave. - Fartumo Kusow immigrated to Canada when civil war broke out in her native Somalia. She will discuss her most recent novel, Tale of a Boon's Wife, and how her life and experiences as a Somali woman shape her characters and major themes of her work. Kusow draws connections between the main themes of social hierarchy, female relationships, power, and prejudice and present day unconscious biases. Her first novel, Amran, was serialized in October Star, Mogadishu: Somali National Press in 1984. Since her arrival in Canada in 1991 she has earned a B. Arts Honours in English Language and Literature and B. Education from the University of Windsor. She now teaches English literature courses for the Greater Essex County District School Board.

Iowa State and The Great War - Douglas Biggs
7:00 PM – Sun Room, Memorial Union - Douglas Biggs, professor of history at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, is a native of Ames and a graduate of Iowa State University. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of World War I, he will discuss the impact of World War I for Iowa State and its returning veterans. Douglas Biggs spent much of his youth exploring the ISU campus and later earned both a BA and an MA in history from the university before completing his PhD at the University of Minnesota. His interest in Ames and ISU history has led to several publications and public lectures on such topics as the Dinky, the university during World War II, and the early years of the Iowa State College football team. Veterans Day Speaker

Talking Black in America – Documentary and Discussion with Producer Walt Wolfram
8:00 PM – South Ballroom, Memorial Union - African American English is the most controversial and misunderstood variety of speech in America. The film Talking Black in America showcases the history and symbolic role of language in the lives of African Americans and highlights its tremendous impact on the speech and culture of the United States. It addresses the persistent misinformation about African American speech and situates it as an integral part of the historical and cultural legacy of all Americans. The film’s executive producer Walt Wolfram will offer remarks and take questions following the 60-minute film. Wolfram is a Distinguished Professor at North Carolina State University, a world leader in sociolinguistic research and publications, and the director of the Language & Life Project at NC State University, through which he has facilitated numerous television documentaries, audio compilations, and other publications.