Speakers Program

Spring 2024

Paul Miller | January 29
Paul A Miller is an independent writer, photographer and filmmaker based in upstate New York. He will be screening and discussing his film Searching for Timbuctoo (NY) about a community of black and white abolitionists in upstate NY in 1846.
Searching for Timbuctoo
Transcript of Discussion

Mark Marchand | February 12
Adjunct Professor of Journalism
US Route 1: Rediscovering the New World and other Dispatches from Upstate NY
Marchand Slides
About Mark Marchand

Roberta Reno | February 26
Roberta (Bobbie) Reno is the Historian for the Town of East Greenbush. She will be discussing "The Life and Work of Edmonia Lewis", a 19th century sculptress of African American and Native American heritage, who was born in East Greenbush.
Reno Slides
About Edmonia Lewis

Dr. Christopher Walchek | March 11
Senior Research Scientist Emeritus
Atmospheric Sciences Research Center
Astronomy, Meteorology, and Photography of Total Solar Eclipses 
About Dr. Walcek

Dr. Carmen Serrano | March 25
Associate Professor, Languages, Literature, and Cultures
UAlbany Student Stories
About Dr. Serrano

Dr. Julie Novkov | April 15
Dean, Rockefeller College
Current Politics and Constitutional Law
About Dean Novkov

Carol Whittaker | April 25
Clinical Associate Professor of Health Policy, Management, and Behavior
Life Long Learning
About Carol Whittaker

Dr, Leonard Slade | May 6
Professor Emeritus of Africana Studies and English
A Poetry Reading and Commentary on his Book - "Best African-American Poems: Past and Present"
About Dr. Slade         

Fall 2023

Dr. Carolyn Yalkut | September 11
Associate Professor Emerita of English
From Blank Pages to Live Stages: Playwright Yalkut Talks About Her Work
About Dr. Yalkut

Dr . Eugene Garber  | October 2
Professor Emeritus of English
A Discussion of His Book - Maison Christina: A Novel
About Dr. Garber

Special Panel Discussion | October 16
Innovative Aging (Note - The location is Campus Center 375)
Greg Olsen, NYS Office for the Aging
Olsen Slides
About NYS Office for the Aging
Mary Moller, Albany Guardian Society
Moller Slides
About Albany Guardian Society
Nicole McFarland, Senior Hope Counseling, Inc
McFarland Slides
About Senior Hope Counseling, Inc

Dr. Carol Kim | October 30
Provost
Update on the University's Healthy Aging Initiative 
About Dr. Kim

Dr. Timothy Lance| November 13
Professor Emeritus of Mathematics
Reflections on AI, Geometric Topology, and Nuclear Fusion
Lance Slides
About Dr. Lance

Dr. Maeve Kane | November 27
Associate Professor of History
America at 250: Who Is the Revolution for in 2026? 
About Dr. Kane

Rex Smith | December 4
Former Editor-in-Chief, Times Union
The Impact of Polarization, The Decline of Legacy Mass Media Outlets, and the Loss of Community
About Rex Smith

Phillip Morris | January 30
CEO of Proctors Collaborative
What We Learned on Our Cultural Pandemic Vacation
About Proctors Collaborative
 

Rex Smith | February 13
Former Editor-in-Chief, Times Union
Essential Journalism in Challenging Times
About Rex Smith
 

Dr. Kevin Knuth | February 27
Associate Professor of Physics, University at Albany
The Science of UAPs (UFOs): What We Know and What We Are Learning
About Dr. Kevin Knuth
 

Dr. Mary Beth Winn | March 13
Research Professor emerita, French Studies, Languages, Literatures & Cultures, University at Albany
Dancing with Wolves c. 1500
About Dr. Mary Beth Winn
 

Dr. Lawrence S. Wittner | March 27
Professor Emeritus, History Department, University at Albany
The New Nuclear Arms Race and How It Could Be Ended
About Dr. Lawrence S. Wittner
 

Dr. Nadieszda Kizenko | April 10
Professor & Religious Studies Program Director, History Department, University at Albany
Ukrainian Flashpoints, Past and Present
About Dr. Nadieszda Kizenko
 

Dr. Carolyn Yalkut | April 24
Associate Professor Emerita, English Department, University at Albany
From Blank Pages to Live Stages: Playwright Carolyn Yalkut Talks About Her Recent Work
About Dr. Carolyn Yalkut
 

Dr. John Rowan | May 8
Assistant Professor, Anthropology Department, University at Albany
African Ecology and Human Evolution
About Dr. John Rowan

Randall Craig | September 12
English Department, University at Albany and 2022 Emeritus Center Fellow
Prison Sentences: Reflections on Teaching in a State Correctional Facility
About Randall Craig
 

Dr. Frankie Bailey | September 26
School of Criminal Justice at the University at Albany and author
The Red Queen Dies: A Mystery (Detective Hannah McCabe Book 1)
About Dr. Frankie Bailey
 

Dr. Thenkurussi (Kesh) Kesavadas | October 24
VP for Research and Economic Development, University at Albany
The UAlbany Research Vision: 2022 to 2030
About Dr. Thenkurussi (Kesh) Kesavadas
 

Dr. George Robinson | November 7
Biology Department, University at Albany and 2022 Emeritus Center Fellow
Wandering between Shadow and Light
About Dr. George Robinson
 

Dr. Havidan Rodriguez | November 28
President of UAlbany
Special Biennial Meeting
 

Dr. Chris Walcek | December 5
Atmospheric Research Center
Albany-Area Climate: Past Changes and Future Projections

Dr. Nathaniel Cady | January 31
Empire Innovation Professor and Executive Director – SUNY Applied Research Institute (SAMRI), SUNY Polytechnic
An Introduction to Nanoscale Science & Engineering Education
 

Dr. Joachim Frank | February 14
Professor, Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics & Biological Sciences, Columbia University. 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Author and photographer. 
The House that Jack Built
 

Dr. Jeannette Sutton | February 28
Associate Professor, College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity:
Designing Messages for Disaster Alerts and Warnings
 

Mark Benson | March 14
Director of Athletics, University at Albany.
UAlbany Athletics Update: Great Leaders, Great Champions, Great Danes
 

Patrick Ferlo | March 28
Director of PAC (UA’s Performing Arts Center).
A Backstage Tour of the UAlbany Performing Arts Center
 

Dr. Eloise Briere | April 11
Professor Emerita French and Francophone Studies.
Lucie Cousturier, A Pioneer
 

Dr. Timothy Lance | April 25
Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, Mathematics and Statistics and Emeritus Center Secretary:
New York’s Seminal Role in the Birth and Maturation of the Public Internet

Dr. Eric Block | September 13
Carla Rizzo Delray Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at The University at Albany and William L. Reese Memorial Fellow 2021
Sixty Years of Smelling Sulfur
Summary of Sixty Years of Smelling Sulfur
 

Dr. Gary Kleppel | September 27
Professor Emeritus of Biology at the University at Albany and William L. Reese Memorial Fellow 2021
Regenerative Agriculture: How Producing Food in Sync with Nature Can Prevent Disease, Improve Health and, Maybe, Save the Planet
Summary of Regenerative Agriculture
 

Dr. Benita Zahn | October 18
Health and wellness coach at Capital Cardiology and former news anchor and health reporter at WNYT in Albany, NY
Happiness: The No Cost Way to Health
Summary of Happiness: The No Cost Way to Health
 

Tammis Groft | October 25
Executive Director, Albany Institute of History & Art
Upcoming Exhibition Highlights at the Albany Institute
Summary of Upcoming Exhibition Highlights at the Albany Institute
 

Paul Grondahl and L. F.  Tantillo | November 1
Director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany (Grondahl) and well-known local historical and marine artist, Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists, Fellow of the New York Academy of History (Tantillo)
The Albany Waterway Project
Summary of the Waterway Project
 

Panel Discussion | November 15
Moderated by: Donna S. Canestraro, Emeritus Center Board of Directors, DSC Leadership Consulting, LLC, Adjunct Professor Rockefeller College, Government Fellow, Center for Technology in Government/Univ at Albany
Panelists: Jennifer Saunders, Chief Executive Officer, Liberty ARC, The Montgomery Chapter of the ARC New York, Erik C. Geizer, Chief Executive Officer, The ARC New York, Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, Stacey Hengsterman, CEO Special Olympics New York.
The Challenges of Providing Services to the Intellectual and Development Disability (I/DD) Community Within Today's Political Economy
Summary of The Challenges of Providing Services to the Intellectual and Development Disability (I/DD) Community Within Today's Political Economy

Dr. Christopher Gibson | December 6
President, Siena College
From the Military to Congress to College President: A Conversation with Siena College President Chris Gibson
Summary of From the Military to Congress to College President