Fall Honors Symposia Explores Genesis and Evolution of Human Aspiration for Knowledge

From the roots of bookmaking to the trajectories of world governance, the Fall 2014 Honors Program symposia series will explore the theme “Roots and Contexts of Ideas.”

The series kicks off, Wednesday, Sept. 3, with a presentation by Richard Mathews, UT Dana professor of English and writing and director of the UT Press and Tampa Review, titled “Art of the Book: Its Roots and Evolving Contexts.” Mathews’ talk begins at 5 p.m. in Reeves Theater in the Vaughn Center on the UT campus.

Resident scholars and researchers at the University will present in their areas of specialization. Guest speakers in the series include Honors Program graduate Christian Reich along with Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Directors Margaret Murray and Renee Cossette; Erica Williams, member of World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Social Media; Michael Saks, professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at Arizona State University; and Michele Rioux, a professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Quebec.

All lectures are free, open to the public and held on the UT campus. For a full schedule, see below:

Wednesday, Sept. 3: “Art of the Book: Its Roots and Evolving Contexts,” Richard Mathews, UT Dana professor of English and writing and director of the UT Press and Tampa Review, Reeves Theater, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 17: “Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival Adapts to the Digital Age,” Christian Reich, Honors Program alumnus, with Margaret Murray and Renee Cossette, festival directors, Reeves Theater, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 26: “Clicks, Likes and Online Social Change,” Erica Williams, member of World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Social Media, Vaughn Center, 9th Floor, Crescent Club, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 30: “Documentary Abroad: Social Justice Communication in Ecuador,” Christopher Boulton, UT assistant professor of communication, with students from COMH212, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 7: “BrainDance,” Susan Taylor Lennon, UT professor of dance, Edison Building, Room 100, 4 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 16: “Visit to Chicago — An Honors Experiential Learning Excursion,” Alex Tan, UT assistant professor of finance, with students from FINH310, MacDonald-Kelce Library, AV Room 2, 5 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 23: “The Real History of ‘Reality TV’,” Paul Hillier, assistant professor of communication, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 30: “Exploitation of Youth in Dominican Republic Baseball,” Shane Smith, assistant professor of marketing, MacDonald-Kelce Library, AV Room 2, 4 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 3: “Contextualizing Censorship: The Battle between Moralists and Creative Artists,” Gary Luter, professor of theatre and director of the Honors Program, with students from THRH235, Reeves Theater, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 6: “The Art of Editing Music Manuscripts: Conflicting Perspectives,” Kira Omelchenko, professor of music at Florida Southern College, Reeves Theater, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 12: “Hookah Smoking: A View through the Lens of Our Body,” Mary Martinasek, UT assistant professor of public health, Reeves Theater, 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 19: “Forensic Science: Its Problems Are Our Problems,” Michael Saks, professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor School of Law at Arizona State University, Vaughn Center, 9th Floor, Trustees’ Room, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 2: “Trajectories of World Governance: Power Shifts and Structural Changes in a North American Perspective,” Michele Rioux, professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Quebec, Reeves Theater, 5 p.m.

Please note that dates and locations are subject to change. For more information, contact the Honors Program at (813) 257-3545 or honors@ut.edu.