| Name | Image URL | Bio | Talks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Baker | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Baker-Robert.jpg | Robert Baker has held an array of positions in the sport industry, including various administrative and coaching roles. His B. S. and M. S. are from Penn State, and his Ed. D. is from William and Mary. He currently serves as the Director of the Center for Sport Management at George Mason University. | Sports Management and Coaching Education (Speaker: Robert Baker) Description: Addressing the management of sport business enterprises; sport diplomacy and development; various segments of the sport industry including school-based and professional sport; coaching and/or sport management education; sport leadership; impacts of sport; and/or any issues of interest in sport management and coaching. AV Requirements: None; Categories: |
| Steven Barnes (Note: For in-person engagements, speaker needs to wear a mask.) | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Barnes-Steven-10.7.21-scaled.jpg | Steven Barnes is Associate Professor of Russian History and Director of the Program in Russian and Eurasian Studies at George Mason University. He teaches courses on Russian and Soviet history while engaged in research on the history of the Soviet forced labor camp system (the Gulag) and the global history of the concentration camp as a modern form of population control. He is the author of the multi-award winning Death and Redemption: The Gulag and the Shaping of Soviet Society, and is currently completing a book on a Stalinist Gulag camp for women arrested merely for being the wives of men who were themselves unjustly repressed. | Russia’s War on Ukraine: Origins and Update (Speaker: Steven Barnes) Description: On February 24, 2022, drawing upon a variety of demonstrably false historical analogies, Vladimir Putin ordered a mass invasion of Ukraine, extending a war that had been ongoing since 2014. Ukrainians have suffered horrific crimes at the hands of the Russian invader, but Ukraine has inspired the world through its remarkable resistance and resilience. How can an understanding of history help us make sense of this earthshaking event? What is Ukraine and how did it come to be the object of Putin’s violent obsession? How do Ukraine’s history and culture help us understand the rise of this nation and their resistance and resilience? What historical analogies are appropriate to our understanding of this war? In this lecture and discussion, Professor Steven Barnes will explore the historical origins of Russia’s war on Ukraine and provide an update on the most recent developments and potentialities for the future. AV Requirements: LCD projector and screen; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Government/Politics; History; Understanding the Soviet Gulag, Understanding Stalinism (Speaker: Steven Barnes) Description: Professor Barnes offers an engaging reconsideration of the role of the Soviet Gulag in Stalin's Soviet Union based on over two decades of research in formerly highly classified Soviet archives. His discussion raises important questions about the place of the concentration camp and mass detention in the modern world and engages in systematic comparison of the Gulag with the Nazi and other modern concentration camp systems to provide a fuller understanding of what Stalinism was, and what it was not. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; Cultural/Social/World Issues; History; The Origins of Putinism in 1990s Russia (Speaker: Steven Barnes) Description: Professor Barnes offers a deep dive into the consequences of the end of the Soviet Union in 1990s Russia and how the culture shock, chaos, economic pain, and violence of that era of "transition." from Communism to so-called freedom, capitalism, and democracy help explain the origins of Putinism and the popularity of Vladimir Putin in contemporary Russia. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Government/Politics; History; |
| Johanna Bockman | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Bockman-Johanna.jpg | Johanna Bockman is Associate Professor of Sociology and Global Affairs. Currently, she is teaching courses on Post-Soviet Life, research methods, and globalization. More locally, she is studying gentrification in Washington, DC. | Socialism (Speaker: Johanna Bockman) Description: I would discuss socialism in Eastern Europe, as well as global socialist movements, such as that of Yugoslavia. I could also discuss postsocialism and current notions of socialism. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Economic Development; Globalization (Speaker: Johanna Bockman) Description: An overview of the major global trends and debates in the areas of politics, economics, society and culture. AV Requirements: Internet, Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Gentrification in Washington, DC (Speaker: Johanna Bockman) Description: Gentrification and its impact on inequalities and democratic participation in Washington, DC. From the 1940s to the present. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Government/Politics; History; |
| Don Boileau | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/boileau_don.jpg | Don Boileau is a retired professor of communication at George Mason University. He earned his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Oregon. He served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Korea in 1968-69. A former department chair of Communication for 13 years, he has served as Parliamentarian for such groups as the U.S. Association for the United Nations, the Association of Teacher Educators, and the international Kappa Delta Pi. He has won the Distinguished Service award for his state, regional, and national communication organizations. Don was President of the Eastern Communication Association and Chair of the GMU Faculty Senate. | Lyme Disease (Speaker: Don Boileau) Description: Dr. Boileau, as having had Lyme Disease, will be joined by his wife, a member of the National Capital Lyme Disease Board of Directors, to cover the presence, testing, and prevention methods relevant to people in the DMV area. AV Requirements: PowerPoint; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Health/Wellness; Lyme Disease Awareness Month (May); Washington Metropolitan Regional Issues; Your Neighbor Next Door: How Intercultural Communication Helps One Understand Differences (Speaker: Don Boileau) Description: In most neighborhoods of Northern Virginia one finds residents of several cultures. This presentation presents several themes from intercultural communication to help people improved their understanding of how messages vary among cultures because of the ways we send and receive messages. AV Requirements: PowerPoint; Categories: Communication; Washington Metropolitan Regional Issues; Why College? (Speaker: Don Boileau) Description: Discusses how the total experience of college helps students learn how to learn, balance knowledge of the good life and good society, and develop a sense of right, wrong, truth, and beauty. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Education/Teaching; Themes in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Sermons (Speaker: Don Boileau) Description: Most of our knowledge about MLK, Jr. is through his political speeches. This presentation focus on spiritual themes found in 8 of his sermons. While one can see many links to his political life, Dr. King was an ordained minister who started his career as a person who gave sermons. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January); Religion; So What is Intercultural Communication? (Speaker: Don Boileau) Description: In the current globalization people frequently meet other people from different cultures. This presentation covers some of the basic principles and vocabulary to help us understand why what we said is not what is heard by a person from the other culture. AV Requirements: PowerPoint; Categories: Business/Finance; Communication; Education/Teaching; |
| Lisa Breglia | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Lisa-Breglia.jpg | Lisa Breglia is Senior Associate Dean and Associate Professor of Global Affairs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University where she has worked since 2007. Her 2006 book, Monumental Ambivalence: the Politics of Heritage (University of Texas Press), examines the struggle over national patrimony between public interests and private sector development in Maya archaeological sites across the Yucatán Peninsula. Her second book, Living with Oil (2013, UT Press), is an ethnographic investigation of the effects of Mexico's intensive offshore oil industry on Gulf coast communities. Her current long-term research focuses on the relationship between resource security and citizen security in contemporary Mexico, and her most recent project focused on experiential dimensions of climate change among Maya farmers. | Lives in Ruins: Life in the Archaeological Site of Chichén Itzá (Speaker: Lisa Breglia) Description: While millions of international tourists a year visit the World Heritage site of Chichén Itzá in southern Mexico and eagerly bask in its ancient wonder, few people appreciate the contemporary significance of the archaeological site. Using archival and ethnographic research, I discuss 1) how modern science and modern Maya people came to view this "ancient Maya" site, 2) the role of the heritage site in contemporary community life, and 3) the heated debates over who has the rights to benefit from the enormous incomes that such "wonders of the world" generate from international tourism. AV Requirements: Laptop, Screen; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Economic Development; Hispanic Heritage Month (September/October); History; |
| Ethan Carter | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Ethan-Carter-Reformat.jpg | Ethan Carter is the Associate Director of Programs, Well-Being & Assessment for Mason Recreation and has been a campus recreation professional since 2007. He has a Dual Degree in Athletic Training and Fitness Development, as well as a Masters in Exercise Science. He is a Certified Athletic Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, Personal Trainer, and Strength and Conditioning Coach. Mr. Carter enjoys speaking about leadership and a healthy lifestyle for lifelong health. | Fitness/Health/Leadership (Speaker: Ethan Carter) Description: As a growing professional I like to discuss the ups and downs of living from a personal level. Each person chooses their own path and “exercises” decision making along the way. Each decision has consequences (good/bad) and that is just part of life. When most think of me, they think of the physical aspects of exercise, but exercise begins in the mind. One must make a choice to participate and then physically go out and participate. From there, one must develop discipline in doing the appropriate things to meet their health related objectives/goals. Life is the same way. One must develop discipline, make decisions, set objectives/goals, and then move forward. Just like in exercise, our bodies will respond differently based on who you are as an individual. Not everyone is the same. Thus one must be comfortable with themselves, their limits, and decisions. In all, life truly is an exercise of the mind, body, and soul for as long as we live. How will you run that race of life? AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Exercise/Sports; Health/Wellness; Leadership/Career Development; |
| Rose Cherubin | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rose-Cherubin.jpg | Rose Cherubin is Associate Professor of Philosophy at George Mason University, and is also a member of the faculty in African and African American Studies and in Women and Gender Studies. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Visual Arts, New York City, and received her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of the City University of New York in 1996, with a dissertation on the philosopher Parmenides (c.515 – c.450 BCE). | The Beautiful and the Just: Inquiry, Justice, and Value in Alain Locke and Aristotle (Speaker: Rose Cherubin) Description: Alain Locke was a 20th-century African American philosopher, Chair of the Philosophy Department at Howard University, and a guiding force behind the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920’s. His work in philosophy, politics, education, and arts criticism was guided by the notion of culture as a goal. To see this we must look to his roots in classical Greek philosophy. “Culture,” in Locke’s sense, is an engagement of self-expression and intellect, valuable for its own sake and for the sake of understanding. This recalls Aristotle’s account of theoria (contemplation) and its objects, the kala (beautiful or noble things). Culture for Locke can transform both lives and social orders. It is not aimed solely at gains within the status quo, and is always self-critical and investigative. Self-expression for Locke requires an interrogation of presuppositions about the world, one’s place in it, and what should be. This reintroduces the question of what a life and a society should be for. Locke’s conception of culture thus addresses deficiencies in current discussions of the relationships between education, democracy, and social justice. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen (or equivalent other ways of projecting PowerPoint slides and other images) for in-person meetings; Zoom or equivalent platform for virtual meetings.; Categories: Arts; Black History Month (February); Philosophy; Sex and Gender in Ancient Greece: Philosophy, Poetry, Drama (Speaker: Rose Cherubin) Description: What if the leaders in politics, business, science, and the military had spent their youth as “eye candy,” escorts, and “sugar babies” (young people admired and sexualized for their looks, and often rewarded for sexual favors or dates)? What if the second most powerful person in the country, the top advisor and speechwriter to the President, could not vote and had no right to own property or bring a legal case? This was the situation in ancient Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries BCE, and we can trace aspects of this back to Homer three centuries earlier. Today we might find some features of this picture paradoxical: the fact that a person was expected to be cute and dumb at first and then was supposed to become an intelligent and responsible leader; the fact that a community would think it acceptable for another person to be a top political advisor yet prohibit this person from voting and bringing a legal case. Indeed, even at the time some people found these inconsistencies troubling, and suggested alternatives – some of which influenced modern political and social thought. By reflecting on the peculiarities of the ancient Greeks’ ideas about sex and gender, we can gain some perspective on our own. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen (or equivalent other ways of projecting PowerPoint slides and other images) for in-person meetings; Zoom or equivalent platform for virtual meetings.; Categories: Arts; History; National Poetry Month (April); Philosophy; Origins of Philosophy in Ancient Greece (Speaker: Rose Cherubin) Description: In seventh century B.C.E. Greece, an investigation arose that was so unusual that a new word, philosophic, was invented. This talk focuses on how philosophia differed from other ways of thinking, how it was similar, and the importance of its influence. The influences of neighboring civilizations such as Egypt, Persia, and Babylon are explored. AV Requirements: : LCD, Screen ns of Philosophy in Ancient Greece (or equivalent other ways of projecting PowerPoint slides and other images) for in-person meetings; Zoom or equivalent platform for virtual meetings.; Categories: History; Philosophy; Religion; Ancient Greek Philosophy (Speaker: Rose Cherubin) Description: A general introduction to Greek philosophy, discussing major figures and their ideas, questions, concerns, and writings. Specific philosophers and issues could be presented, including Plato, Aristotle, and Pythagoras. Areas of discussion include foundations of science, ethics, political theory, cosmology, justice. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen (or equivalent other ways of projecting PowerPoint slides and other images) for in-person meetings; Zoom or equivalent platform for virtual meetings.; Categories: Ethics; Philosophy; |
| Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Lawrence-Cheskin.jpg | Dr. Lawrence J. Cheskin is Professor and Chair, Department of Nutrition and Food Studies in the College of Health and Human Services at George Mason University. He is a practicing physician who founded and directed the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. He has written several books on weight control, and performs research on effective means of dieting. | Diet and Obesity (Speaker: Lawrence Cheskin) Description: Dr. Cheskin will talk about how diet and nutrition affect obesity. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Health/Wellness; Nutrition; |
| Christan Coogle | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/CK8A7657-003-scaled.jpg | Dr. Christan Coogle is an Associate Professor in the Early Childhood Education Program. Prior to obtaining her doctorate she worked as an early intervention provider, preschool inclusion teacher, and K-5th grade special education teacher. Dr. Coogle also worked at the Florida Center for Reading Research where she supported educators and developed early literacy interventions. She completed her Doctoral Degree at Florida State University as a Fellow in the Leadership in Family Centered Early Intervention Fellowship Program. Her area of expertise is early childhood special education. Dr. Coogle teaches courses in early childhood special education, and her research is focused on bridging the research to practice gap through the use of embedded interventions particularly for children identified with autism spectrum disorder. | Prevent, Reinforce, and Teach (Speaker: Christan Coogle) Description: Dr. Coogle will provide a seminar to support educators and parents who have the goal of decreasing challenging behaviors and increasing more desirable behaviors. Dr. Coogle will focus on how to prevent challenging behavior, identify the function of challenging behaviors, and how to teach more appropriate or desired behaviors. Opportunities will be provided for discussion and questions. AV Requirements: Flip Chart, Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Education/Teaching; Supporting Educator’s Use of Best Practice (Speaker: Christan Coogle) Description: Dr. Coogle will provide a step by step process which can be embedded within teacher's everyday activities and routines to support the attainment of individualized education program goals. Dr. Coogle will share step by step information and provide opportunities for questions and discussion. AV Requirements: Flip Char, Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Education/Teaching; Supporting Parents to Enhance Their Child’s Development (Speaker: Christan Coogle) Description: Dr. Coogle will provide a step by step process which can be embedded within everyday activities and routines to support their child's development. This is particularly useful for families who have a child with a developmental delay or disability; however, is best practice for all children. Dr. Coogle will share step by step information and provide opportunities for questions and discussion. AV Requirements: Flip Chart, Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Education/Teaching; |
| Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera (not available until June 2025) | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Correa-Cabrera-Guadalupe-scaled.jpg | Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera (Ph.D. in Political Science, The New School for Social Research) is Associate Professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University. Her areas of expertise are Mexico-U.S. relations, organized crime, immigration, border security, social movements and human trafficking. She was the Principal Investigator of a research grant to study organized crime and trafficking in persons in Central America and along Mexico’s eastern migration routes, supported by the Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Professor Correa-Cabrera is author of Los Zetas Inc.: Criminal Corporations, Energy, and Civil War in Mexico (University of Texas Press, 2017; Spanish version: Planeta, 2018). She is co-editor (with Victor Konrad) of the volume titled North American Borders in Comparative Perspective (University of Arizona Press, 2020). Her two new books (co-authored with Dr. Tony Payan) are entitled Las Cinco Vidas de Genaro García Luna (The Five Lives of Genaro García Luna; El Colegio de México, 2021) and La Guerra Improvisada: Los Años de Calderón y sus Consecuencias (The Improvised War: Calderón’s Years and Consequences; Editorial Océano, 2021). Guadalupe is Past President of the Association for Borderlands Studies (ABS). She is Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Non-resident Scholar at the Baker Institute’s Center for the United States and Mexico (Rice University) and Fellow at Small Wars Journal - El Centro. She is also co-editor of the International Studies Perspectives journal (ISP, Oxford University Press). | Human Trafficking (not available until June 2025) (Speaker: Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera) Description: AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Law Enforcement; Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month (January); Drug Trafficking (not available until June 2025) (Speaker: Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera) Description: AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; Border Security (not available until June 2025) (Speaker: Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera) Description: AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Government/Politics; Law Enforcement; Public Policy/Law; Immigration (not available until June 2025) (Speaker: Gaudalupe Correa-Cabrera) Description: AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Government/Politics; Law Enforcement; Public Policy/Law; Organized Crime (not available until June 2025) (Speaker: Gaudalupe Correa-Cabrera) Description: AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Law Enforcement; Public Policy/Law; |
| Tyler Cowen | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Tyler-Cowen-Reformat.jpg | Tyler Cowen is a professor of economics at George Mason University. He is also the Director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. | Economics of the Arts (Speaker: Tyler Cowen) Description: A study on whether commercialization is good or bad for the arts, and how fame is produced in modern societies. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Arts; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Economic Development; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); |
| Alison Cuellar | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Alison-Cuellar-Reformat-4.jpg | Dr. Cuellar, Professor of Health Administration and Policy, has extensive experience collaborating with insurers, physician practices and health systems as well as studying Medicaid, mental health, and justice involved populations. She studies the impact of health care price transparency tools and employer wellness programs. Her contributions also include work on identifying and evaluating health system integration, such as hospital systems and physician alliances, and their effects on quality, efficiency, costs, prices, and technology adoption. In other work she has examined the intersection of behavioral health and the juvenile justice systems and related Medicaid policies. Dr. Cuellar recently served on the National Academy of Medicine study panel on “Culture of Health: Committee on Community Based Solutions to Promote Health Equity in the US.” She also was a member of a national collaborative Mental Health Policy network supported by the MacArthur Foundation and spent the 2005-06 academic year as a visiting economist to the U.S. Department of Justice | Health Policy (Speaker: Alison Cuellar) Description: Health Care Reform. Professor Alison Cuellar can address the following topics regarding health care reform: private health insurance, employer provided health insurance, medicare, medicaid, mental health and substance abuse treatment., telehealth AV Requirements: None; Categories: Mental Health Awareness Month (May); Public Policy/Law; |
| Charles E. Davidson, Ph.D. | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Davidson-Charles-10.29.21.jpg | Dr. Charles Davidson is the Executive Director of the Political Leadership Academy and serves as Research Faculty at the Carter School. He is also the founder and President of Innovations in Peacebuilding International (IPI), an organization which works to creatively accompany peace in war-torn countries. His current professional pursuits with IPI include the economic reintegration of former child soldiers in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has also worked and/or researched in Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda, Burundi, Colombia, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, Indonesia and across Europe. | Religion and Conflict in the USA (Speaker: Charles Davidson) Description: Religious conflict in the United States is partially the result of the perceived loss of the "culture wars" by the religious right. Rooted in the fundamentalist/modernist split, this conflict is especially catalyzed by the perceived necessity of the religious right to preserve their identity. What has transpired is a new blend of religion and politics that is reshaping the identities of both conservative politics and the religious/evangelical right. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Conflict Resolution; Government/Politics; History; Religion; New Topics in Political Conflict in the USA (Speaker: Charles Davidson) Description: The nature of domestic political conflict in the United States has changed gradually in the past 25 years, demonstrating more rigid characteristics of polarization, combativeness, and identity-basis. The candidacy and presidency of Donald Trump and the fallout over the election of Joe Biden and the COVID-19 pandemic have crystalized conflict in ways that have been rarely witnessed in America. This intractability poses both a threat to the future of the democratic process and our progress as a nation and demands new ways of conflict resolution strategy and practice. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Conflict Resolution; Government/Politics; Praxis in Peacemaking and Peacebuilding (Speaker: Charles Davidson) Description: Peacemaking and Peacebuilding the world over necessitate the blending of scholarship and practice. Known as Praxis, this combination illuminates paths forward in a variety of situations from the world's war torn countries to conflict at home. Charles Davidson will reflect on his time in the field of peacemaking in war torn countries and talk about how lessons in peacemaking Praxis can be used in any conflict. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Conflict Resolution; Nonprofit Organizations/Charities; |
| Rick Davis | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/davis_rick.jpg | Rick Davis is Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, Executive Director of the Hylton Performing Arts Center, and Professor of Theater. From 1991 until the company’s closure in 2012, he was artistic director of Mason’s professional theater company, Theater of the First Amendment (TFA). Under his leadership, TFA became one of the Washington area’s most respected theaters, winning twelve Helen Hayes Awards and producing more than twenty world premieres. Before coming to Mason, Rick was Associate Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage, and has directed both theater and opera across the country. His books include Calderon de la Barca: Four Great Plays of the Golden Age, as well as two volumes co-authored with Brian Johnston (Ibsen: Four Major Plays and Ibsen In an Hour), and Writing About Theatre with Christopher Thaiss. His translations have been produced in regional theaters and universities from coast to coast. He is the librettist for Stations of Mychal, a song cycle premiering in New York City on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, with music by Kevin Salfen, and Love’s Comedy, an opera with music by Kim D. Sherman, with whom he also wrote a critically acclaimed oratorio, The Songbird and the Eagle, premiered by the San José Chamber Orchestra. He has contributed entries to the Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World and the Columbia Encyclopedia of Modern Drama, as well as writing essays and reviews for a variety of journals and magazines. He has received the Mason Teaching Excellence Award and was named Alumni Association Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year. He holds a B.A. from Lawrence University and an M.F.A. and D.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. | The American Theater at a Crossroads: Which Way to Turn? (Speaker: Rick Davis) Description: A look at the American professional theater in its various expressions, from Broadway to the nonprofit regional theater, as it copes with unprecedented challenges from the pandemic to Black Lives Matter to economic uncertainty. A glance at history (how we got here) will be followed by an exploration of the changing environment for theater and all the arts as we look ahead, focusing on opportunities as well as obstacles. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Arts; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); The Spanish Golden Age–a Dramatic Legacy (Speaker: Rick Davis) Description: Cervantes, Tirso de Molina, Lope de Vega, Calderón de la Barca and many more great writers define the “Siglo de Oro” or Golden Age in Spanish literature, a period spanning portions of the 16th and 17th centuries that coincides with Spain’s decline as a world power. This talk addresses Spanish views of love, honor, power, religion, and other lively issues as reflected in the dramas of the time, some of which are considered among the world’s masterpieces. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Arts; Ibsen and the Birth of Modern Drama (Speaker: Rick Davis) Description: A look at the revolution in drama launched by Henrik Ibsen, one of the giant figures of European letters in the late 19th century. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Arts; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); |
| Molly Davis | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Molly-Davis-Reformat-scaled.jpg | Dr. Davis, Associate Professor, Emeritus, Department of Social Work is an experienced educator and faculty member. She has a diverse background in teaching classes on Human Behavior across the Life Course, Human Development and specialized content such as Gerontology, Psychology, and Social Work practice. She is a speaker and trainer on a number of topics. She has been involved in training professionals in the area of culture and diversity, intergenerational issues and child welfare issues, such as children and families. Her specialized expertise is on trauma and the life course and ways in which the experience of trauma can be managed to include disaster behavior management. She also speaks on Trauma and Long-Term Care. Her experience working with Aging and Older Adults and her years of training, research, speaking at professional conferences highlight her background and experience in topics like personal safety risk management in the workplace and addressing issues around social isolation, depression, suicide risk management. She also has experience working with veteran populations. | Disaster Behavioral Health (Speaker: Molly Davis) Description: The increasing number of disasters are related to a variety of different behavioral issues. Workshops help prepare for and prevent negative reactions to the experience of disasters. Psychological first aid and training of volunteers for disasters can help in preparation for events. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Health/Wellness; Psychology; Safety; Trauma Across the Life Course (Speaker: Molly Davis) Description: There is more discussion about the impact of trauma on children and families as well as trauma in older adults and long-term care settings. Dr. Davis is an expert in trauma and helping address strategies to manage the impact of lifetime trauma. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Health/Wellness; Psychology; Safety; Understanding Culture and Difference: A New Approach (Speaker: Molly Davis) Description: It is important to understand models that allow us to understand and be comfortable with difference. This speech will provide new strategies to understand differences and reduce our anxiety about being culturally competent. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Personal Safety Risk Management (Speaker: Molly Davis) Description: The workplace is an increasingly risky place. While it is impossible to eliminate the risk, it is possible to manage the risk. This workshop provides information to human service professionals and health care personnel on specific strategies who work with the public or specialized populations with greater risk for violence. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; |
| Robert L. Deitz | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Deitz-Robert.jpg | Lawyer in private practice; general counsel NSA; senior counselor to the direct CIA; professor of public policy. | Foreign Intelligence (Speaker: Robert Deitz) Description: How does the U.S. conduct foreign intelligence. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Ethics; Government/Politics; |
| Betsy DeMulder | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Demulder-Betsy.png | Dr. Betsy DeMulder is a tenured Professor and Academic Program Coordinator of Transformative Teaching, a master’s degree program for practicing PreK-12 teachers, in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Dr. DeMulder earned a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from St. John’s College, Cambridge University, England. She was a Staff Fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health and joined George Mason University in 1994 under the auspices of the National Science Foundation’s Visiting Professorships for Women program. Dr. DeMulder’s research concerns the study of interpersonal relationships in educational contexts, risk and protective conditions in children’s development and early education, and teacher professional development. Dr. DeMulder has published her research in a variety of professional journals. | Teacher Professional Development (Speaker: Betsy DeMulder) Description: A discussion of ways teachers can develop the skills to enhance their relationships with students, become more effective reflective practitioners, and create vibrant professional learning communities in their schools. AV Requirements: Screen; Categories: Education/Teaching; Teacher Appreciation Week (May); |
| Robert Ehrlich (no evening engagements) | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ehrich_robert.jpg | Robert Ehrlich is a professor of physics at George Mason University, where he has chaired the department. He began his career after receiving a Ph.D. in physics from Columbia University in 1964. Prior to joining George Mason, he held faculty positions at the University of Pennsylvania, Rutgers University, and the State University of New York at New Paltz, where he chaired the physics department for five years. Dr. Ehrlich has authored or edited twenty books, two of his recent efforts being "Nine Crazy Ideas in Science," and "Eight Preposterous Propositions," both by Princeton University Press. He has also authored around 100 articles on subjects such as particle physics, science education, and nuclear arms control. He is currently doing research on tachyons -- hypothetical particles that travel faster than light. More information can be found at http://ehrlich.physics.gmu.edu. | The Only Way to End the Risk of Nuclear War (Speaker: Robert Ehrlich) Description: 100 seconds to midnight is the current setting of the “doomsday clock,” which shows how close we now are to nuclear war — closer than we have ever been. This talk is from a speaker who has studied the nuclear issue for years, and who believes there is only one way can avoid nuclear war. AV Requirements: LCD projector and screen; Categories: Conflict Resolution; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Climate Change: Good Science and Lousy Politics (Speaker: Robert Ehrlich) Description: In this talk I show that the science behind climate change is very solid, the politics and policies intended to address it are, in many cases, very questionable. Instead, we will see that the climate change problem can best be addressed through a wider combination of approaches than normally considered, many of which could garner political support across the red-blue divide. AV Requirements: LCD projector and screen; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Environmental Awareness Month (September); The World’s Oldest Game (Speaker: Robert Ehrlich) Description: Go, also known as Wei Qi, is an abstract strategy board game for two players in which the aim is to surround more territory than the opponent. The game was invented in China more than 2,500 years ago and is believed to be the oldest board game continuously played to the present day. This talk will explain and demonstrate the basic game rules and strategies, and the useful lessons for everyday life. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen, Internet Access; Categories: Games; The Science of Climate Change (Speaker: Robert Ehrlich) Description: A simple description of the basic science of climate change. What is known for sure, and what is uncertain. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Earth Day (April); Engineering; Environmental Awareness Month (September); Math; Science; Technology; Where Are the Time Travelers? (Speaker: Robert Ehrlich) Description: Einstein's theory of relativity suggests that time travel might be possible. We consider why this is true, and how one might build a time machine. We also consider the paradoxes involved with time travel and how they might be resolved. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Engineering; Math; Science; Technology; |
| Heba F. El-Shazli (Not available until September 2024) | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Heba-F.-El-Shazli.jpg | Heba F. El-Shazli is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Mason University’s The Schar School of Policy and Government (formerly the School of Policy, Government and International Affairs (SPGIA) and an adjunct faculty at Georgetown University’s Master’s Degree Program at the Center for Democracy. She is also an affiliate faculty at the Ali Vural Ak Center for Global Islamic Studies (AVACGIS) at George Mason University. She teaches courses on governments and politics of the Middle East and North Africa, Islam and politics, international relations theory, Israeli-Palestinian politics, and role of civil society in democratization. Professor El-Shazli earned a Ph.D. in political science from Virginia Tech (VT) School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA). She was the Regional Program Director for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) programs at the Solidarity Center (SC), AFL-CIO from September 2004 until June 2011. El-Shazli was also the Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) from 2001 until 2004. Before joining NDI, El-Shazli worked at the American Center for International Labor Solidarity working in Central and Eastern Europe from 1987 to 1994. Dr. El-Shazli has 28 years of experience in civic and union organizing, institution building, leadership skills training, labor education and training methodologies, political advocacy, and development, implementation and management of international programs. She is fluent in Arabic and English and speaks French very well. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. | The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – Everything You Wanted To Know But Were Afraid To Ask (Not available until September 2024) (Speaker: Heba El-Shazli) Description: Dr. El-Shazli can speak on the current state of affairs in MENA countries and their governments; international relations between MENA countries and the West; Arab literature and culture as a way to understand their politics; Islam and Politics; Labor Migration issues in MENA; and the Arab Uprisings – reasons and impact. AV Requirements: Internet access, LCD Projector; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Government/Politics; |
| Craig Esherick | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/esherick_craig.jpg | Professor Craig Esherick came to Mason from NYU where he taught in their Master’s Sports Management program for two years. Previously Professor Esherick served as the vice president for Athletic Relations for CBS College Sports TV Network and still serves as a color commentator for college basketball games. Professor Esherick was a basketball coach for 25 years after graduating from Georgetown University with a J.D. and undergraduate finance degree. Craig is married with two children and the author of five textbooks, numerous chapters, and articles on various topics in the sports industry. Professor Esherick has eight years of experience as a sport diplomat for the US Department of State, including part of the management team of the Sport Visitors Program. | Sports Industry, NCAA, Sport Governance, Olympics, Sport Management, Sport Diplomacy and Coaching (Speaker: Craig Esherick) Description: Willing to talk about the sports industry, sports management program at Mason, college athletics, professional sports, youth sports, Sport Diplomacy, the coaching profession, the Olympics, basketball and basketball coaching. AV Requirements: None; Categories: American Culture; Business/Finance; Exercise/Sports; |
| Lewis E. Forrest, II | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Lewis-Forrest-II-Cropped-1.jpg | Lewis E. Forrest II, is currently an Associate Dean for University Life at George Mason University. The division of University Life cares for the whole student by promoting inclusive well-being and fostering lifelong learning to prepare ethical leaders for the world. Within University Life, Lewis supervises three units – Mason Recreation, The Early Identification Program (EIP), and The Office of International Programs and Services; along with awareness and education responsibilities specific to campus Well-Being and student engagement. He was previously served as the Executive Director of Mason’s Early Identification Program and has experience working with first-generation college students. He is an Alum of Mason (1996) receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in African-American Studies. In 2005 he received his Master’s degree in Counseling and Development and was recognized by the College of Education and Human Development for outstanding achievement and academic excellence. He also has several years of experience as a Professional School Counselor in Prince William County Public Schools. | College Access (Speaker: Lewis Forrest II) Description: Topics: Well-Being, student transition, retention, and engagement. AV Requirements: Internet, Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Education/Teaching; Nonprofit Organizations/Charities; |
| Rebecca Fox, Ph.D. | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rebecca-Fox-Reformat.png | Rebecca K. Fox, Ph.D. is Professor of Education and Division Director of the Advanced Professional Teacher Development and International Education (APTDIE) in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. She also serves as faculty in the Ph.D. in Education Specialization in Teaching and Teacher Education. Bilingual in French, she taught French in K-16 settings for many years prior to her career in teacher education.
In her 22nd year at GMU, Dr. Fox teaches graduate and doctoral courses in second language acquisition research, teacher research, education and culture, and reflective practice, with a critical focus on global perspectives in teacher education. She mentors and works with doctoral students and is actively involved in ongoing research with educators in P-12 settings and university faculty both domestically and abroad. In addition to her teaching and administrative roles at the university, she is an active researcher with over 100 publications, a co-authored book and one in development, and over 200 scholarly presentations and teacher professional development workshops conducted in national and international contexts. Her areas of research focus on educator professional development and critical reflection, international-mindedness and intercultural competence, and second language acquisition research in global settings. She is the recipient of the 2010 Mason Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2010, she was also recognized by the French government and awarded Chevalier des Palmes Académiques for her service to education and France. The two overarching areas of her research and scholarship are 1) advanced teacher professional learning and teacher research, particularly the role and development of critical reflection in teacher education; and 2) world language teaching and second language acquisition research in global settings, with a particular interest in the critical role that language and culture play in the development of teachers’ international mindedness and inter-cultural competence. Her work with international teachers and faculty, as well as her ongoing work with U.S. K-12 teachers, continue to provide a broadened context for the application of her research, publications, and scholarly presentations.
Author of over 100 publications, including one co-authored book and a book in progress, and over 250 invited and keynote addresses, and peer-refereed presentations, in national and international locations. Dr. Fox currently serves as PI on a grant for Russian teachers,, Russian-US Teachers ((RUST) for STEM Education; she is also serving as faculty on a U.S Department of State grant in Uzbekistan (with J. Shin, PI, and TESOL International), English Speaking Nation. Dr. Fox has recently concluded her work as PI on a US Department of State University Partnerships grant with the University of Management and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan; she has also served as Co-PI , researcher, and faculty on over $2 million of grants and funded projects, among them, Pakistan, Russia, Greece, Taiwan, China, Russia, Greece, France. She has also worked with and K-12 and university educators in 21 countries.Dr. Fox has led several international grants and directed multiple international teacher education professional development programs. She served as PI of the recently completed GMU-UMT Collaboration for Faculty Excellence in Teaching and Research, a three-year grant (2015-18) funded by the U.S.-Pakistan University Partnerships Program of the U.S.-Pakistan Academic Linkages Program of the U.S. Department of State Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy, Islamabad. She was Co-PI of the US State Department-funded program, US-Russia Teacher Professional Development (2009-2011), with W. Frazier, that involved secondary teachers of Language, Science, Technology, and Mathematics in Primorsky Krai, Far East Russia. She was Director of the Taiwan World Language Teacher Professional Development Program (Summers 2010, 2011, 2012), the Beijing Normal University Faculty Professional Development Program (2013), and recently also provided faculty professional development to Pakistani professors from the National University for Science and Technology (2013), Islamabad. She was faculty and researcher on the Greek Teacher Professional Development Program, a grant funded by the Fulbright Foundation and the U.S. Department of State. She developed and directed the Madrid Bilingual Coordinators Program in summer 2015 and is past chair of the NorthEast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (NECTFL). Selected recdent international grants and funded project involvement include:
| Meeting the Needs of English Language Learners in Our Schools: Toward a Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Speaker: Rebecca Fox) Description: This talk will present an overview of our rapidly changing demographics and provide information about the salient research supporting second language acquisition, and the importance of the intersection of critical social justice with second language acquisition. By understanding some major points about second language acquisition, parents and policy makers will be equipped to make the informed decisions that promote a culturally and linguistically supportive pedagogy. This knowledge will also help to dispel some of the principle misconceptions about how students best acquire English for success in today’s schools. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Education/Teaching; |
| Don Gallehr | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/gallehr_don.jpg | Don Gallehr retired in June 2021 after having taught at Mason since 1966. He directed the Northern Virginia Writing Project from 1978 to 2011. His scholarly interests include the use of secularized koans in the teaching of writing, strategies for using writing to grieve the loss of a loved one, and ways to help teachers become better teachers of writing. He is the recipient of the David J. King Award for 2008. | Writing and Meditation (Speaker: Don Gallehr) Description: Meditation has long been considered an allied activity with writing. Both include focusing of the mind and a watching of inner speech. This talk also includes the use of secularized koans or word puzzles to tap the writer’s intuition to solve the more perplexing problems facing the writer. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Education/Teaching; Using Writing to Grieve the Loss of a Loved One (Speaker: Don Gallehr) Description: I learned how to using writing to grieve after the loss of my late wife. I wrote about us for two years and afterward was able to move on with my life, which is exactly what she would have wanted. In 2014 I published a book about her last 17 months called Finished Business. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Teaching Writing and Using Writing to Learn (Speaker: Don Gallehr) Description: As director of the Northern Virginia Writing Project from 1978 to 2011, I’ve been involved with improving the teaching of writing in area schools, public and private K-University. This talk is intended for teachers, parents and educators interested in improving writing in their institutions. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Education/Teaching; Teacher Appreciation Week (May); |
| Harold Geller | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Geller-Harold-6.21.21.jpg | Dr. Harold A. Geller is Associate Professor Emeritus, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University. He is an at-large Director on the Board of the GMU Alumni Association. He was the GMU Observatory Director from 2007 to 2020. He also served as co-Investigator for the Virginia Initiative for Science Teaching and Achievement (VISTA), the largest educational grant ever awarded Mason, from 2011 through 2015. Since 2012 he has served as a Solar System Ambassador for the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In 2009 and 2010 he shared in six Telly Awards for online educational videos in association with Astrocast.TV. In 2008 he received the Mason Faculty Member of the Year Award. From 2006 to 2008 he served as the Associate Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Other past achievements include President of the Potomac Geophysical Society; tour guide and lecturer with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; producer of educational multimedia CDROMs; faculty at Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC); doctoral fellow of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV); and, lecturer/operator at the Einstein Planetarium, National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC. He has authored books, contributed to edited volumes, and has published over 100 papers in education, astrobiology, astrophysics, and biochemistry. Dr. Geller has been interviewed or quoted in the USA Today, Washington Post, Huffington Post, The Arts and Entertainment Magazine, Astrocast TV, WTOP News Radio, News Channel 8, and The Skeptic. | A Holocaust Story and the Mothers of Maria (Speaker: Harold Geller) Description: The speaker will recount a holocaust story as told to him by the late Dr. Maria Dworzecka. It is a story of a little girl separated from her parents by the Nazis. Alone on the curb of a square in Poland, Maria was taken in by a woman who was witness to the parental separation. The speaker will recount what was told about her experiences during the war as a Jewish child in hiding, adopted by a Christian family and raised as their own during Nazi occupation. The town was eventually liberated by the Russians. Maria found her way to the USA after completing doctoral studies in physics. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: History; Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Speaker: Harold Geller) Description: This talk addresses the scientific and social concepts associated with renewable and non-renewable energy and the environment. It will provide an overview of the physical concept of energy as well as the scientific thoughts and processes. The talk examines both the non-renewable and renewable sources of energy in use today alongside the viable alternatives for the future and concludes with a study of energy conservation and how the use of energy on this planet has a synergism with the issues of pollution and climate change. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Earth Day (April); Environmental Awareness Month (September); Science; Technology; Nuclear Energy in the 21st Century (Speaker: Harold Geller) Description: This talk addresses the issues associated with the use of nuclear energy, including nuclear power generation for electrical energy and nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are among the most dangerous military threats facing humanity. Nuclear waste is considered one of the most fearsome long-term risks to life on Earth. The talk also addresses the many ethical challenges posed by nuclear energy. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Ethics; Government/Politics; UFOs: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Speaker: Harold Geller) Description: The concept of unidentified flying objects (UFOs), now called UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena), will be discussed in an historical context. UFO stories, will be presented from history. The current media hype about some recently released photographs will be reviewed within the context of historical examples, within a Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes approach. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: American Culture; History; Looking for Life in All the Wrong Places – The Search for Life in the Universe (Speaker: Harold Geller) Description: In recent days there has been much talk about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in the universe. However, where are we looking and why do we look where we look, is often overlooked in the media and on the internet. We will discuss the search for life in the universe and reveal the techniques and rationale of looking for life in all the right places; in our Solar System, in our Milky Way Galaxy, and in our universe. Carl Sagan once said that "somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." There are those who argue that the discovery of life elsewhere in the universe will be the greatest discovery of them all. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Engineering; Technology; |
| Edward Gero (not available August – October, 2024) | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Edward-Gero.jpg | Edward Gero is a 30 year veteran of Washington stages having appeared in over 100 productions, most recently seen as Justice Antonin Scalia in the world premiere of The Originalist at Arena Stage. Earlier he appeared as Mark Rothko in the Goodman Theater and Arena Stage production of RED, Scrooge in Ford’s Theater A Christmas Carol, Antonio Salieri in Amadeus, Donny in American Buffalo, Sweeney in Sweeney Todd, and Gloucester in King Lear. He is a four time Helen Hayes Award winner and fourteen time nominee in both leading and supporting roles in the classics, contemporary plays and in musicals, and four time recipient for performances as Lead Actor for his work as Tom Sargaent in Skylight at the Studio Theater, and Supporting Actor for Bolingbroke in Richard II with Richard Thomas, Hotspur in Henry IV, and Macduff in Macbeth, all at Washington’s prestigious Shakespeare Theatre. His other nominated performances include Richard Nixon in Nixon’s Nixon at Roundhouse Theatre in Bethesda and Macheath in The Beggar’s Opera. Recipient of the 2015 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship. He has worked on film and television in New York and Los Angeles, and can be seen in House of Cards, TURN: Washington's Spies, Die Hard 2, Striking Distance, and heard narrating for Discovery Channel documentaries. He is an Associate Professor of Theatre at George Mason University and guest lectures for The George Washington University’s Academy of Classical Acting at the Shakespeare Theatre and the Opera Studio at the University of Maryland. He has done extensive work in public policy for the Arts, serving on the National Committee for Standards in the Arts, National Assessment for Educational Progress Planning Committee, consulted for the Getty Center for the Arts, The Edison Project and various panels for the National Endowment for the Arts. He was invited to speak at the National Book Fair on the Mall in the fall of 2003 and to perform at the White House in 2004, both at the invitation of First Lady Laura Bush. He has consulted for members of Congress, CEO’s, the National Teacher of the Year, and many others. He received his training at Montclair State University in Speech and Theatre and studied privately in New York with Ada Brown Mather, formerly of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He lives in Bethesda with Marijke. Their son, Christian, lives and works in Chicago In 2015, Mr. Gero was named a Lunt-Fontanne Fellow, a groundbreaking national program designed to strengthen the ability of actors and theatres to enrich people’s lives in communities throughout the country. Lunt-Fontanne Fellows do this as artists, as mentors, as teachers, and as leaders in their communities. | Scaling Scalia (not available August – October, 2024) (Speaker: Edward Gero) Description: An in depth discussion of the preparation and performance of Justice Antonin Scalia in John Strand's world premiere political drama The Originalist. An inside look at creating the character of one the most polarizing and influential Supreme Court Justice's in the history of the Court. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: National Arts and Humanities Month (October); Myths, Archetypes, Campbell and Jung: An Actor’s Tools in Creating Arc of Character (not available August – October, 2024) (Speaker: Edward Gero) Description: The processes and approaches to “becoming a character” for performance are myriad and can be even mysterious. Actor and professor, Edward Gero, explores an approach to interpreting and creating character inspired by Jungian archetypes and mythical storytelling patterns identified by Joseph Campbell in his seminal work “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.” Tracing his process in his performances in King Lear and portraying The Bastard in Shakespeare’s King John, as well as his current preparations for the title role of Sweeney Todd, Professor Gero will discuss his personal approach to mining, identifying and incorporating mythical and archetypal patterns from the text that speak to audiences in both conscious and unconscious ways. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Arts; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); Psychology; My Year with Rothko (not available August – October, 2024) (Speaker: Edward Gero) Description: An in depth look at the research, rehearsals and production of playing Mark Rothko in the first American production of John Logan's Tony Award winning play RED, directed by Tony Award winning director Robert Falls which opened in Chicago and transferred to Washington's Arena Stage. An inside look at the creating of character and the making of theater and understanding the work of one of America's most influential painter of the 20th Century. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Arts; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); Acting Shakespeare (not available August – October, 2024) (Speaker: Edward Gero) Description: A freewheeling discussion of the actor's life working on the great plays of Shakespeare, based on 25 years of experience. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Arts; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); |
| Justin Gest (not available until September, 2025) | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Gest-Justin.jpeg | Justin Gest is an Associate Professor of Policy and Government at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government. He studies immigration and the politics of demographic change. He is the author of six books: • Apart: Alienated and Engaged Muslims in the West (Oxford University Press/Hurst 2010) • The New Minority: White Working Class Politics in an Age of Immigration and Inequality (Oxford University Press 2016) • The White Working Class: What Everyone Needs to Know (Oxford University Press 2018) • Crossroads: Comparative Immigration Regimes in a World of Demographic Change (Cambridge University Press 2018) • a textbook, Mass Appeal: Communicating Policy Ideas in Multiple Media (Oxford University Press 2020) • Majority Minority (Oxford University Press 2022) He also co-edits the Oxford University Press book series, “Oxford Studies in Migration and Citizenship.” He has authored peer-reviewed articles in journals including Comparative Political Studies, Ethnic and Racial Studies, the International Migration Review, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and has edited special issues of Citizenship Studies and Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. He has provided reporting or commentary for ABC, BBC, CBC, CNN, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, NPR, The New York Times, Politico, Reuters, Vox, and The Washington Post. In 2014 and 2020, Professor Gest received Harvard University’s Joseph R. Levenson Memorial Teaching Prize and the George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award, respectively each university’s highest award for faculty teaching. In 2013, he received the 2013 Star Family Prize for Student Advising, Harvard’s highest award for student advising. In 2007, he co-founded the Migration Studies Unit at the London School of Economics (LSE). | Current Events (not available until September, 2025) (Speaker: Justin Gest) Description: Immigration, Demographic Change, Populism, Nativism, Backlash, Minority Politics, Islam, Identity Politics, Brexit, White Working Class Voters, United States, Europe, Middle East, Policy Communication AV Requirements: Internet, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Communication; Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; |
| Jonathan Gifford | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/gifford_jonathan.jpg | Jonathan Gifford is an internationally recognized authority on transportation and public policy. He directs Mason’s Center for Transportation Public Private Partnerships Policy and has written widely on transportation funding, finance, the Interstate Highway System, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), transportation and land use, technological standardization, and information systems strategic planning. He has more than 30 years of experience in research and teaching in transportation and public policy. Areas of interest include public private partnerships, infrastructure banks, secondary road policy, transportation planning and urban development, environmental impact, and decision making. He earned his master’s and Ph.D. in transportation engineering (minor fields in economics and urban planning) from the University of California, Berkeley, and a BS in civil engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. | Transportation Public-Private Partnerships (P3) (Speaker: Jonathan Gifford) Description: Funding and procurement models, financing, renegotiation, case studies, legislation, policies, political issues, international P3s, US P3 market conditions, P3s experience in Virginia, economic rationale, government support, project arrangement, evaluation and risks. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Urban and Metropolitan Affairs (Speaker: Jonathan Gifford) Description: Urban and metropolitan development, land use, urban sprawl. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Washington Metropolitan Regional Issues; Highways, Land Use, Transit and Transportation Policy, Planning & Finance (Speaker: Jonathan Gifford) Description: Transportation funding, finance, the Interstate Highway System, intelligent transportation systems (ITS), transportation and land use, technological standardization, and information systems strategic planning, infrastructure banks, secondary road policy, transportation planning and urban development, environmental impact, and decision making. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; Transportation; |
| Daniel Greenberg | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Daniel-Greenberg.jpg | Daniel Greenberg teaches game design topics in the Computer Game Design program, with a focus on history and analysis. His research tackles the emerging topics surrounding digital games, including their defined role as an art form, the language used to describe them, the manner in which they convey narrative, patterns for developing game literacy, codifying game appreciation, comparing games to other established forms, contributing to the preservation and curation of existing works, and using new media to both illustrate and educate on gaming topics. He has spoken on topics, ranging from transmediation of games and opera to pursuing game literacy, at various national game conventions. He is also the founder of Winterion Game Studios, based in Clifton, Virginia | Various Game Topics (Speaker: Daniel Greenberg) Description: As an instructor in the game design program, I've traveled to a number of events related to gaming around the country, delivering talks on game topics ranging from color-blindness and accessibility to opera in games. With a couple weeks' notice, I can prepare a talk on a variety of subjects, including audiovisual components, as part of my studio, Winterion Game Studios. Here are a few examples of previously delivered talks: Transmediation of Games and Opera ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFBEeHfSBso ) Building Better Games Literacy ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWOvyALKX1I ) Sega Hardware Retrospective ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgt7STCLHuc ) Play is Practice ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_WhrJ79h-o ) Game Literacy Roundtable ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJMCNfdTBNc ) Lessons from Let's Plays ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0H4mW8P1XY ) AV Requirements: LCD Projector; Categories: Arts; Engineering; Games; Technology; |
| Jhumka Gupta | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Gupta-Jhuma.jpg | Jhumka Gupta, ScD, is Associate Professor in the Department of Global and Community Health within the College of Health and Human Services. Her research program applies a social epidemiology framework towards advancing the science of gender-based violence against women and girls (e.g. intimate partner violence, sex trafficking). Specifically, she investigates the mental and reproductive health implications of gender-based violence, and conducts intervention studies aimed at reducing violence against women. Her primary focus is with vulnerable populations, both within and outside of the United States, and includes refugees, immigrants, and communities impacted by conflict. She has authored or co-authored over 60 peer-reviewed publications on these topics. | The Public Health Impacts of Gender-based Violence against Women (Speaker: Jhumka Gupta) Description: What are the public health impacts of gender-based violence against women? How can we research gender-based violence against women? What are promising intervention approaches to both reduce gender-based violence against women? AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Health/Wellness; Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April); Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month (January); Women; Women's History Month (March); |
| Matthew Hicks | No image | Highly accomplished Technology and Security Officer with proven ability to lead successful corporate information security and technology operations and facilitate corporate growth through technology-business alignment. Special expertise in cybersecurity, solution development, organizational excellence, program management, and process improvement. Doctoral, MBA, and multiple certifications, including CISSP, CRISC, CISM, PMP/RMP, and ISSA member. Adept at directing multinational teams and administering multi-million dollar budgets. Extensive familiarity with education, software development, transportation, health-care, financial, and technology sectors. Excellent presentation, problem-solving, and technical skills. | The Effects of HIPAA on Privacy and Security (Speaker: Matthew Hicks) Description: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is federal legislation that addresses issues ranging from health insurance coverage to national standard identifiers for healthcare providers. The portions that are important for our purposes are those that deal with protecting the privacy (confidentiality) and security (safeguarding) of health data, which HIPAA calls Protected Health Information or PHI. The presentation will discuss how HIPAA Privacy and Security affects patients and the medical community. AV Requirements: Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Cyber Security; National Cyber Security Awareness Month (October); Public Policy/Law; Defining the role of Health Informatics (Speaker: Matthew Hicks) Description:
AV Requirements: Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Health/Wellness; Science; STEM; Technology; |
| Karla Hoffman | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/hoffman_karla.jpg | Karla Hoffman is an Emeritus Professor in the Systems Engineering and Operations Research Department of the School of Information Technology and Engineering of George Mason University where she had been Chair for five years ending in 2001. Previously, she worked as a mathematician in the Operations Research Department of the Center for Applied Mathematics of the National Institute of Standards and Technology where she served as a senior consultant to a variety of government agencies. She received her BS in mathematics from Rutgers University in1969, and an M.B.A. and a D.Sc. in Operations Research from the George Washington University in 1971 and 1975, respectively. AWARDS: National Institute of Standards and technology (NIST) Applied Research Award, Commerce Department Silver Medal, George Mason University's Distinguished Faculty Award(1989), The Volgenau School of Engineering Outstanding Research Award (2010), and the Institute of Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) Kimball Medal (2005) and Harvey Greenberg Service Award (2009) and the Omega Rho Plenary Speaker (2008). She is a Fellow of the Institute of Operations Research and the Management Sciences. She has given multiple plenary talks for INFORMS and its associated Optimization and Computing Societies, for the Military Operations Research Society (MORS) and for the EURO Conference in Pozdam. She was part of a team that won the 2018 Edelman Prize for their work on the FCC Spectrum Incentive Auction. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES: Dr. Hoffman served as President of INFORMS in 1999 and is currently on the Administrative Council of the International Federation of Operations Research Societies (IFORS) as the Vice President of the North American Operations Research Societies. She has served on the Boards of INFORMS, The Operations Research Society of America (ORSA), and The Mathematical Programming Society. She has served as Treasurer and Secretary of the Parkinson Foundation of the National Capital Area. RESEARCH AREAS: Dr. Hoffman's primary areas of research are combinatorial optimization and auction design and applications. She consults to the Federal Communication Commission on auction design and testing. She has consulted to multiple federal agencies including DOT, DOE, NASA, and DHS. She has consulted to a variety of corporations on the routing and scheduling of ships, trucks and buses. Including U.S. Airways, Delta Airlines, Northwest Airlines, and American Airlines on fleet assignment and crew-scheduling problems. She has worked with the Disney Corporation and Florida Rock Industries and GrubHub on real-time scheduling. She has served as a consultant on combinatorial optimization problems for telecommunications, transportation, postal services and military organizations and has consulted on auction design related to telecommunications. She has served on the editorial boards of: Annals of Operations Research, Computational Optimization and its Applications, Information Systems Frontiers, INFORMS Journal on Computing and the SIAM Journal on Optimization. | Impact of Operations Research on U.S. Industry (Speaker: Karla Hoffman) Description: The field of operations research, and its development of analytics tool that transform “big data” into useful information for management decision making is transforming the way companies perform. This talk will illustrate how the field has impacted the transformation of many companies and how the field is continuing to change with the advent of cloud computing, one-to-one marketing, machine learning and the development of the field of advanced analytics (prescriptive analytics). AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Business/Finance; Technology; Auction Use by the Federal Government (Speaker: Karla Hoffman) Description: A variety of government agencies use various auction strategies to both buy and sell goods and services. This talk will discuss auction designs and their uses within the federal government. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Business/Finance; Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; Application of Math Modeling in the Airline Industry (Speaker: Karla Hoffman) Description: This talk explains how mathematical and economic modeling is used in almost every aspect of an airline’s operations, including scheduling, pricing, facility location and layout, and capital investments and will also highlight recent FAA activities in handling congestion at the busiest airports. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Business/Finance; Mathematics Awareness Month (April); Transportation; |
| Rob Holder | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Holder-Rob-10.18.22.jpg | Mr. Holder has more than 30 years’ experience in program management. He has successfully led complex information technology software and enterprise infrastructure programs for various clients. Mr. Holder has managed performance-based initiatives in support of the federal government within the Intelligence Community, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as Federal Law Enforcement. He has demonstrated success in directing, managing and leading critical, highly-visible software development and information systems programs and projects both in the federal government and in private industry. In addition, he is considered an industry expert on performance-based contracting (PBC) and Earned Value Management (EVM) delivering against PBC and EVM standards and methodologies. He possesses exceptional abilities in leading diverse groups of personnel, fostering teamwork, partnering with his customer, building consensus, motivating staff, and Customer Relationship Management. Mr. Holder has a MPA from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, CA and a BA in Communications from Howard University in Washington, DC. In addition, he possesses Lean Six Sigma training, Project Management Professional (PMP) certified, ITIL V3 certified. Adjunct Professor (Leadership Studies) George Mason University 2005-Present. | Leadership (Speaker: Rob Holder) Description: My Leadership experience encapsulated through my presentation is designed to provide a thorough understanding of leadership applications across a multitude of sectors (Business, Government, Non-government, Military and Non-profit). Through the use of personal case studies, I will break down the various aspects of leadership under numerous contexts and situations. I will apply the Strengths Based Leadership principles and Positive Psychology which allows the audience to gain a true and complete understanding of the type of leader they may be and how to best use their talents and strengths in numerous leadership situations. After this presentation you will seek to grow out of your “comfort zone” and take on new challenges that best compliment those hidden yet to be discovered leadership traits. The presentation is high energy and very interactive. Come prepared to uncover the LEADER within you. Questions central to the investigation of leader ship will include: What is the difference between Leaders and Leadership? What are the key elements of Leadership? What is the purpose of Leadership? Start with the Why of Leadership? What influences Leaders? How do gender, culture, power, and authority relate to Leadership? AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, Screen; Categories: Business/Finance; Communication; Conflict Resolution; Education/Teaching; Entrepreneurship; Ethics; Leadership/Career Development; |
| John Hollis | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Hollis-John.jpg | John D. Hollis lists 17 years of daily newspaper experience, including nearly 10 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he covered college football and basketball, the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Falcons, and high schools. He has authored two previous books, including the 2013 hit with former professional wrestler Lex Luger called “Wrestling with the Devil: The True Story of a World Champion Professional Wrestler – His Reign, Ruin, and Redemption.” Over his career, Mr. Hollis has covered the Super Bowl, the Olympics, five college basketball Final Fours, the College World Series, the NBA, and the NFL among other things and served as a daily beat writer covering college football and basketball within both the ACC and SEC. The University of Virginia and Woodberry Forest School alum is currently working as Media Relations Manager at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia | Medal of Honor Recipient Sgt. Rodney M. Davis (USMC) (Speaker: John Hollis) Description: My new book, "Sgt. Rodney M. Davis: The Making of a Hero," is a factual account of the life, death and enduring legacy of Macon, Georgia's lone Medal of Honor recipient following that fateful afternoon in Vietnam’s Que Son Valley in which his company of 200 Marines desperately tried to withstand an onslaught by an NVA force estimated to have 2,500 men during one of the nastiest fights of the entire Vietnam War. A member of the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Davis served as a right guide in 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company. His platoon listed 48 men at the start of Operation Swift, including two machine gunners, a two-man sniper team and a forward artillery observer. Just 11 remained by the time major combat operations concluded on Sept. 6, the rest either having been killed or wounded seriously enough to warrant a medevac out. Of those 11, eight later received Purple Hearts for gunshot and/or shrapnel wounds suffered during combat. The time of his death in 1967 was one of the most volatile in U.S. domestic history, with Davis and other African-Americans ironically still being denied at home the very liberties they were fighting to defend thousands of miles away in Southeast Asia. More than 150 U.S. cities experienced costly and equally-as-destructive race riots that summer, and Jim Crow remained the law of the land in Davis’ hometown of Macon, Georgia as America slipped closer to anarchy than at any time since the Civil War. That Davis still chose to jump onto an enemy grenade at the critical moment and sacrifice his own life for the lives of five fellow Marines who just happened to be white speaks volumes about Davis, his principles and his unflinching courage even in the face of certain death. It takes a special man to fight for a country that has denied him full rights as a citizen, a more extraordinary one still to willingly lay down his own life for that country. Davis, however, didn’t care about color. The Marines sharing that trench with him were ALL his brothers, and he was no stranger to looking out after his own after coming of age in the Jim Crow South. Color had always been a contentious issue there, but it had no place along Vietnam’s frontlines, where each man depended on one another for survival no matter their race. Davis would do anything for the four siblings with whom he grew up, and would do no less for his new Marine brothers in Vietnam. He died as nobly as he lived. Davis is one of only 88 African-Americans ever awarded the Medal of Honor and is honored at both the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, VA and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. AV Requirements: Internet, laptop; Categories: American Culture; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Literature/Poetry/Writing; Vietnam War (Anniversary of the End - 4/30/1975); |
| Alex Iszard | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Iszard-Alex-12.12.22.jpg | Alex Iszard is the Assistant Vice President of Planning, Design and Construction within Facilities at George Mason University. Alex manages the office to include: implementation of capital and non-capital projects, project management, graphic design, major maintenance projects, and interior design. Alex has been associated with Mason for more than 19 years, first as a student, then as a student intern, and for the last 14 years as an employee. Alex received both his Bachelors (2008) and Masters (2010) of Science in Civil Engineering from George Mason. During his undergraduate time Alex also served in the Facilities Internship Program where he worked assisting Project Managers and Engineers. Following his graduation in 2008, Alex was hired in Facilities as a Project Engineer, a Project Manager, a Senior Project Manager, and was promoted to Director, Contracts and Capital Finance in 2016. Prior this current position, Alex also served as AVP, Business Services for Facilities. He was instrumental in standardizing construction procurement and project management by authoring a Manual and leading in the implementation of a web-based project management software. He also personally managed the addition of 550 thousand square feet of new space valued at over $250 million. His diverse construction management experiences include academic, health care, parking, laboratory, athletic, and utility infrastructure projects. Alex also holds his Professional Engineer License (Civil) in Virginia and is a Virginia Construction Contracting Officer. | George Mason University Capital Project Highlights (Speaker: Alex Iszard) Description: An overview into the near term development for the campuses of George Mason University. AV Requirements: LCD projector and screen; Categories: George Mason University; |
| Ilhan Izmirli | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Izmirli-Ilhan-e1651606763947.png | Dr. Izmirli has been teaching in the Statistics Department at George Mason University for the past twelve years. Before then, he taught mathematics and statistics courses at The American University, Washington D.C. His major research interests are mathematics education; statistics education; history of statistics; history of mathematics; relations between mathematics and other disciplines, such as physics, philosophy, and music; and chaos theory. Dr. Izmirli has presented numerous papers on these and related topics at international conferences throughout the world. When not teaching classes or conducting research, Dr. Izmirli can be found taking long walks with his dogs or playing an instrument called the alto balalaika with The Washington Balalaika Society Orchestra and the folk music ensemble, Samovar. He also composes music and does some orchestral arrangements. | Teaching Introductory Statistics (Speaker: Ilhan Izmirli) Description: In this talk, we will discuss the generally accepted set of recommendations for introductory statistics classes. Following a 1992 paper by Cobb, we will argue that an introductory statistics course should be designed to emphasize statistical thinking over routine computations and to make students realize that • Decisions must be based on evidence (data); it is dangerous to act on assumptions not supported by evidence • It is difficult and time-consuming to formulate problems and to get data of good quality • Variability is ubiquitous; it is the essence of statistics • Variability can be measured and quantified by considering randomness and distributions, fit and residual, mathematical models for patterns, and diagnostics. We will conclude our talk by introducing the 2003 research funded by the American Statistical Association (ASA), namely, the Guidelines for Assessment and Instruction in Statistics Education (GAISE) for the purpose of developing both K-12 and introductory college courses. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector; Categories: Education/Teaching; Science; Philosophy of Mathematics (Speaker: Ilhan Izmirli) Description: The philosophy of mathematics is the branch of philosophy that explores the foundation that is, the structural nature of mathematics and its implications. After a concise review of its historical development, we will briefly touch on the various schools of philosophy of mathematics such as formalism, intuitionism, logicism, Platonism, conventionalism, constructivism, empiricism, and quasi-empiricism. Our goal is to focus on the social constructivist approach to the philosophy of mathematics, which interprets mathematics primarily as a social construct that is, as a product of culture that is subject to correction and change. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector; Categories: Math; Philosophy; Mathematics and Music (Speaker: Ilhan Izmirli) Description: From a purely computational point of view, there are several well-known applications of mathematics in music from basic arithmetic (to study such fundamental elements of music such as tempo and meter), to the golden ratio and Fibonacci numbers (to determine the number of notes in subsections of longer works), to Fourier series (to understand the nature of harmonics), and to logarithmic scales (used in some tuning systems). Indeed, problems associated with tuning also gives us an opportunity to investigate the concept of rational approximations to irrational numbers as well as provide us with an application of group theory. However, modern dodecaphonic compositions make more profound use of theoretical mathematics, which expedites the incorporation of set theory, abstract algebra, number theory, and probability and statistics into music. In this talk, we intend to focus on some of these deeper relationships between mathematics and music. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector; Categories: Arts; Math; |
| Lawrence M. Jackson | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Jackson-Lawrence-9.11.23-scaled.jpg | Lawrence M. Jackson is an Associate Professor of Dance at The George Mason University School of Dance where he teaches courses in Contemporary, Jazz, Dance History, and Choreography. Professionally, Lawrence devoted several years with the internationally acclaimed modern dance company, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble. Additionally, he has performed as a guest artist in a variety of national and international concert dance venues. Choreographically, he has produced over 95 original choreographic works. Most recently, Lawrence choreographed an off-Broadway production, Separate and Equal, which was subsequently nominated for an AUDELCO Award for Best Choreography. As a scholar, he has published in scholarly journals in the field of Black Dance. Most notably, he authored, co-edited, and published a special edition devoted to Black Dance in the Journal of Pan African Studies, the second occurrence in history, where an academic journal edition was committed solely to Black Dance. | Black Dance: Housing the Past and the Present (Speaker: Lawrence Jackson) Description: Colonialism brought an end to authentic African dance. Lawrence M. Jackson, Associate Professor of Dance at George Mason University, who in 2011 co-authored and edited a special edition on Black dance in the Journal of Pan African Studies, explains how Black dance keeps those African cultural traditions alive and is an affirmation of identity and independence. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Arts; Black History Month (February); National Arts and Humanities Month (October); |
| Richard Kauzlarich | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/kauzlarich_richard.jpg | Since 2014, Ambassador Richard Kauzlarich has been Co-Director of the Center for Energy Science and Policy at George Mason University. As a Distinguished Visiting Professor, he also teaches courses on the Geopolitics of Energy Security and Policy Communication at Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government. From 2011 to 2013, he was Deputy Director of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) in Mason’s School of Public Policy. He served as National Intelligence Officer (NIO) for Europe on the National Intelligence Council (NIC) from September 2003 to April 2011. Before his service on the NIC, he was Director of the Special Initiative on the Muslim World at the United States Institute of Peace. Ambassador Kauzlarich joined the Institute in spring 2002 after a 32-year career in the Foreign Service. He served as United States Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997-99 and Azerbaijan in 1994-97. He was Senior Deputy to the Secretary of State’s and the President’s Special Representative to the Newly Independent States (NIS) in 1993-94. He was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of European Affairs in 1991-93, responsible for relations with the former Soviet Union and economic ties with the European Union. Ambassador Kauzlarich also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs in 1984-86 and as Deputy Director of the State Department’s Policy Planning Staff in 1986-89, handling global and international economic issues. He was also Director of the Department of State’s Operations Center 1983-84. Ambassador Kauzlarich has served at US Embassies in Ethiopia, Israel, and Togo. In December 2001, the Century Foundation published his report, “Time for Change? US Policy in the Transcaucasus.” He is a co-author of “Aid During Conflict: Interaction Between Military and Civilian Assistance Providers in Afghanistan, September 2001-June 2002,” published by RAND in 2004. He also co-authored “Strategic International Engagement at the Local & Regional Level: The Case of Northern Virginia,” published by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in 2021. Ambassador Kauzlarich received his AA from Black Hawk College, his BA from Valparaiso University, and his MAs from Indiana University and the University of Michigan. He was a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution in the Foreign Policy Program with the Center on the United States and Europe. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Joint Forces Staff College of National Defense University. He is a member of the National Council of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Cyber Operations/IT Advisory Council at Valparaiso University and a member of the advisory board of Clean Trade. He served as Board Chair of Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area. | Foreign Policy (Speaker: Richard Kauzlarich) Description: Ambassador Kauzlarich can address any number of topics regarding foreign policy, the former Soviet Union, the Balkans, international energy and economic issues, energy transition and sustainability, role of US local governments in international relations, human rights, conflict resolution and peacemaking, and humanitarian aid. AV Requirements: Internet, Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Communication; Conflict Resolution; Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; |
| Jody Keenan | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Jody-Keenan.jpg | Jody Keenan is Managing Director, Mason Enterprise Center and State Director, Virginia Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Network, hosted by George Mason University. The Mason Enterprise Center is an organization of regional incubators and statewide business assistance programs assisting entrepreneurs and small business owners with business and strategic planning, government contracting, access to capital, marketing, commercialization and innovation, international trade, and incubation. The Virginia SBDC network, a program of the Mason Enterprise Center, is the most extensive business development program in the Commonwealth providing business advising, mentoring, training and connections to other useful resources to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs. The SBDC network is a partnership between the U.S. Small Business Administration, George Mason University-Mason Enterprise Center and 15 other organizations, including institutions of higher education, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations across Virginia. | Local and Regional Small Business and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem (Speaker: Jody Keenan) Description: A presentation about the entrepreneurial ecosystem landscape to include opportunities, challenges and resources. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Economic Development; Entrepreneurship; |
| Traci Kendall | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Kendall-Traci--rotated.jpg | Traci Kendall is the executive director for the Office of Community and Local Government Relations at George Mason University. Ms. Kendall began her career with the university in 1996 and is responsible for the strategic direction of community and local government relations at George Mason University, including tactical partnership and relationship development, outreach programs/initiatives, and regional economic development and multi-jurisdictional collaboration. The mission of the office is to communicate the university’s future plans and current goals and objectives to its various external communities, develop long term partnerships, programs, and information exchange opportunities between the university and its multiple constituencies, and promote Mason’s resources to external audiences. Over the years, Ms. Kendall has served on the Board of Directors for Leadership Fairfax, Inc., the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce, and Volunteer Fairfax, as well as serving on a number of boards and commissions for Fairfax County including the Commission for Women, Millennium Steering Committee, and the 2007 Jamestown Anniversary Community Programming committee. Ms. Kendall received her BA in public relations and speech communications at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. | Discover Mason: A guide to Mason’s Services and Resources for the Community (Speaker: Traci Kendall) Description: An overview on how to navigate George Mason University from a non-student perspective. Includes programs, services, and resources available to the residential and business community. Whether you're an established business, an entrepreneur seeking assistance, a parent looking for summer camps for your kids, or an organization in need of conference space or a speaker, George Mason University has opportunities for everyone. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: George Mason University; National Higher Education Day (June); |
| Jim Kinter | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Jim-Kinter-Reformat.jpg | Dr. Kinter is Director of the Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) which conducts basic and applied climate research on climate predictability on sub-seasonal and longer time scales, focusing on phenomena such as monsoons, El Niño, and climate change. Dr. Kinter is also a Professor in the department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Earth Sciences and the Climate Dynamics Ph.D. Program of the College of Science. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on climate dynamics, predictability and climate change. After earning his doctorate in geophysical fluid dynamics at Princeton University in 1984, Dr. Kinter served as a National Research Council Associate at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and as a faculty member of the University of Maryland prior to helping to create COLA in 1993. Dr. Kinter has published over 110 peer-reviewed papers in academic journals and he is frequently called to serve on advisory boards and review panels for scientific research and supercomputing program. | Climate Change: Preparing for the New Normal in Virginia (Speaker: Jim Kinter) Description: “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” This old saying neglects the fact that all of us are inadvertently doing something about the weather – we are changing it. The reality of global climate change is now undeniable and the likelihood is high that human activities have caused the majority of the changes observed in the past half-century. The citizens and businesses of Virginia are not exempt from the changes Earth will experience during the rest of this century – there will be a new normal and we all need to prepare for it. Knowing where, when, and by how much climate will change in the Commonwealth, and where and how to exploit natural resources, are critically important aspects of planning and preparing for changes that are decades in the making. Dr. Kinter will describe Mason research that is focused on these questions, emphasizing what we have learned about predicting future weather and climate in the mid-Atlantic region and what remains to be done to advance our understanding to actionable predictions. AV Requirements: LCD Projector and Screen; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Earth Day (April); Engineering; Environmental Awareness Month (September); Technology; |
| Meredith Lair (no speaking engagements through August 2024)) | No image | Professor Lair’s work examines warfare and its relationship to American society and culture, with particular emphasis on how knowledge and memories of the past are constructed and disseminated over time. She is the author of Armed with Abundance: Consumerism and Soldiering in the Vietnam War, which examines the non-combat experiences of American soldiers in Vietnam. Her current projects examine Vietnam War soldier photography and legacies of the Vietnam War, in particular how ideas about veteranhood have been constructed and changed over time. Professor Lair’s teaches courses on historical methods, war and American society, and the Vietnam War in the Department of History & Art History. | Civil War Memorials in Washington, DC (no speaking engagements through August 2024) (Speaker: Meredith Lair) Description: This talk considers the design and origins of key Civil War memorials in the Washington, DC, metro area, as well as contemporary debates over their meaning and removal. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Cultural/Social/World Issues; History; History, Lessons and Legacies of the Vietnam War (no speaking engagements through August 2024) (Speaker: Meredith Lair) Description: This talk considers how the Vietnam War remains influential in contemporary American life. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Arts; History; Vietnam War (Anniversary of the End - 4/30/1975); Washington Metropolitan Regional Issues; War Memorials on the National Mall (no speaking engagements through August 2024) (Speaker: Meredith Lair) Description: Post-pandemic, I can do this as a walking tour on the National Mall. As a talk, I provide historical background about the development of various war memorials on the National Mall, as well as interpretation of their design and meaning in American culture. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Arts; History; Washington Metropolitan Regional Issues; |
| Rainald Lohner | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rainald-Lohner.png | Professor of School of Computational Fluid Dynamics Uses supercomputers to model and simulate complex natural and man-made phenomena. He simulated the World Trade Center bombing and explosions at American Embassy in Nairobi and the Challenger Space Shuttle. His simulations of the flow of blood through arterial junctions have helped surgeons improve the way they join arteries together in heart by- pass surgery. During the Covid-19 pandemic carried out many simulations and experiments to assess air flow and UV radiation and their effect on the transmission and mitigation of pathogens in the built environment. Active areas of research include fluid-structure interaction, optimal shape and process design, the use of graphics cards within field solvers, compressible and incompressible flow solvers, as well as thermal, control and dispersion solvers. Also active in the simulation of large crowds. Strategic areas of the CFD team include: blast-structure interaction, free surface hydrodynamics, contaminant transport, haemodynamics (bloodflow), optimal shape and process design, and computational crowd dynamics. | High Fidelity Modeling of Pathogen Movement, Transmission and Mitigation in the Built Environment (Speaker: Rainald Lohner) Description: The recent Covid-19 pandemic has led to a thorough review of current ventilation systems in the built environment. The talk gives overview of high-fidelity modeling of pathogen propagation, transmission and mitigation. Starting from the current understanding of pathogen, and in particular virus transmission and mitigation, the required physical and numerical models are derived and proper simulation tools for flow, pathogens and UV radiation are shown. Thereafter, the motion of pedestrians, as well as proper ways to couple computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and computational crowd dynamics (CCD) to enable high-fidelity pathogen transmission and infection simulations is treated. Numerous examples are given, among them sneezing scenarios in hospitals, lecture rooms, subway cars and airplane cabins. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Health/Wellness; Science; Technology; Computing in Science and Society (Speaker: Rainald Lohner) Description: Computing is now so ubiquitous that we tend to forget the profound consequences it is having in science and society. The talk explores the advent and evolution of computing in science and society, and attempts to predict future developments. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Engineering; Math; Science; STEM; Technology; Computational Sciences: The Third Pillar of Empirical Science (Speaker: Rainald Lohner) Description: For hundreds of years, empirical sciences as we know them today were based on either direct measurement of objects (or scaled models) or on simple analytic solutions of partial differential equations. The advent of supercomputers in the 1980s added a third option: computational sciences. The talk explores the origin, outlook and consequences of this third pillar of the empirical sciences. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Engineering; Math; Science; Technology; |
| P.J. Maddox | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/maddox_pj.jpg | Dr. Maddox is a health services research and health care administrator with over 30 years of experience. She came to GMU in 1997 from the Nationals Institutes of Health. She is a sought after speaker and prolific author in contemporary health management and cutting edge health policy problems. She holds a doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University. Subject matter expert on: Medical Disasters and Emergency Planning Problem of Uninsurance for health care Health workforce shortages Public Health Planning/Management Health care safety/quality. | Why Everyone Should Care About the Problem of the Healthcare Uninsured (Speaker: P.J. Maddox) Description: The number of health care uninsured continues to grow, adding to the problem of growing health care costs, public health problems and growing business sector personnel costs. This presentation outlines the causes and consequences of health uninsurance and what public and private sector options can be used to address this complex problem. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; The Disaster/Emergency Preparedness of Professional Nurses (Speaker: P.J. Maddox) Description: As the U.S. is challenged to increase local capacity to improve disaster/emergency preparedness, professional nurses (the back bone of the U.S. health system) and the front line of first receivers are critical. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Safety; Washington Metropolitan Regional Issues; Health Workforce Shortages (Speaker: P.J. Maddox) Description: As America ages in place and its demand for health services increases, so does the shortage of qualified health professionals. The speaker does presentations on the causes and consequences of workforce shortages and what can be done about them. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Human Resource Management/Personnel; |
| Patricia A. Maulden | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Maulden-Patricia.jpg | Patricia A. Maulden is Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution, Director of the Dialogue & Difference Project, and the Student Engagement Coordinator at the Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Her research and field activities include: youth/child disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration in Sierra Leone; community based peace education in Sierra Leone and Burundi; youth focused palaver management in Liberia; reconciliation and the role of the arts in Kosovo; socio-territorial development, local power, and social justice in Salvador, Brazil; human rights, power, and culture in Bahia, Brazil; conflict resolution and natural resource exploitation in Colombia; incorporating dialogue to explore ongoing political, social, and economic concerns in Ukraine; and inclusive dialogue in University Peace Clubs in Ethiopia. Currently she is researching the theory and practice of civil death in the United States, the implications for the carceral state, mass conviction and mass incarceration, education inside prison, post-incarceration re-entry, and prison abolition. She has conducted practice-focused workshops on dialogue, conflict analysis and resolution, peaceful leadership, building peace, environmental conflicts, and political conciliation in Brazil, Liberia, Columbia, Turkey, and Morocco. Dr. Maulden has trained in restorative justice, problem solving workshops, sustained dialogue, and the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, the pedagogy and practice teaching inside prison with half incarcerated and half outside students. She is also the co-founder of the Praxis Conference. | Dialogue & Facilitative Leadership (Speaker: Patricia Maulden) Description: Facilitative leadership focuses on individual and group reflections, understandings, and needs, and has the potential to be transformational. Radical acceptance as the wisdom of not making a bad situation worse by curbing the ego and keeping clear and focused is difficult but fundamental to effective leadership. Through listening to understand, asking questions when disagreements occur, backing the individual ego out of the discussion, and honoring individual positions, leaders become competent in understanding conflict dynamics and reducing negative responses. As these dynamics occur and continue positive, coherent group organization and communication can develop and be maintained. Dialogue (not debate or force) can be integral to recognizing multiple views, human dignity, and creating a place where leadership works with constituencies and groups rather than against them. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Communication; Conflict Resolution; Leadership/Career Development; Civil Death, Incarceration, and Their Effects in the United States (Speaker: Patricia Maulden) Description: Mass conviction, mass incarceration, and mass disenfranchisement currently deprive millions of Americans of civil and voting rights. Civil death, while initially framed as related to a crime or infraction of law, continues to follow the formerly incarcerated to the grave. This presentation examines the backstory of these policies, the historic racial implications, interpretations of human value, and expansion of incarceration practices and policies over time. In addition to outlining the economic, social, and political systems that continue these policies, the discussion also highlights the enormous human, social, economic, and political costs on individuals, families, and communities. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; History; International Human Rights Day (December); Public Policy/Law; |
| Jeremy Mayer | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Jeremy-Mayer.jpg | Jeremy D. Mayer is an expert on American presidential elections, public opinion, racial politics, and U.S. foreign policy. He is the author of several books, including Running On Race: Racial Politics in Presidential Campaigns 1960-2000, American Media Politics in Transition, and 9-11: The Giant Awakens. He has spoken on behalf of the U.S. State Department in several countries, and trains U.S. diplomats at the Foreign Service Institute. He has appeared on many international, national, and local television programs, including the PBS Newshour, Fox News, CNN, and others. | Polarization’s Children: Political Socialization in the Age of Hatred (Speaker: Jeremy Mayer) Description: This is part of an ongoing research project looking at whether polarized parents pass along their hatred to their children. It is derived from a proprietary data set of 1,048 pairs of parents and middle school children. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Childhood Development/Parenting; Government/Politics; |
| Laura McCloskey (Remote Speaking Engagements Preferred) | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Laura-Wolfe.jpg | Laura McCloskey is an Assistant Professor of Art History at the University of West Georgia (since 2019) and has been a regular instructor of history and art history at George Mason University since 2008. She conducted her Ph.D. studies at Trinity College Dublin and was a recipient of an Irish Research Council Postgraduate Scholarship and a predoctoral fellowship in Byzantine studies at Dumbarton Oaks. Laura specializes in Irish history and art history, focusing on the artistic connections between the medieval Mediterranean and Ireland and the relationship between historiography, artistic expression, and nationalism in Ireland in the modern period. Additional areas of research include Japanese art and spirituality, particularly Zen Buddhism, and socio-cultural exchange between Japan and Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries as evidenced in visual art and literature. She is on the Executive Board of Southeastern Medieval Association, she was on the editorial board of the journal Eolas, and she has also served as a lecturer for the Smithsonian Associates program in Washington, D.C. | Japanese Art (Remote Speaking Engagements Preferred) (Speaker: Laura McCloskey) Description: I have taught courses on Japanese art for several years and I would be glad to present on any topic relating to Japanese art history. I have a particular interest in presenting on the art and traditions of Zen Buddhism, but I am open to any topic. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Arts; Cherry Blossom Festival (March/April); History; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); Celtic Drawing (Remote Speaking Engagements Preferred) (Speaker: Laura McCloskey) Description: Drawing workshops that feature a background lecture on Celtic art traditions, with time for instruction on how to create Celtic-inspired drawings based on Pictish, Northumbrian, and medieval Irish stone carving, metalwork, and manuscripts. (Attendees would need to have their own preferred drawing instruments, paper, a compass, and a protractor.) AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Arts; History; Irish-American Heritage Month (March); National Arts and Humanities Month (October); Irish History, Art, and Literature (Remote Speaking Engagements Preferred) (Speaker: Laura McCloskey) Description: Ms. McCoskey would be delighted to present on any topic of Irish history from the medieval period to the present. Her primary focus is in art history and its connections to the society and overall culture of Ireland and its people. Her specialty is medieval manuscript illumination (e.g. The Book of Kells) with a secondary specialty in the work of poet William Butler Yeats. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: History; Irish-American Heritage Month (March); National Arts and Humanities Month (October); |
| Mary McCutcheon | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Mary-McCutcheon-Reformat.jpg | Mary McCutcheon taught in the George Mason University anthropology department from 1988 to 2004. Before that Ms. McCutcheon worked at the Smithsonian in the Directorate of International Affairs. Before that she taught at the University of Guam. Ms. McCutcheon does research on land and marine resource ownership in the Palau Islands of Micronesia. Over the years she taught at Mason, Ms. McCutcheon refined her lecture topics which are relevant today and which have been popular with the audiences. In addition to continuing her work in Micronesia, Ms. McCutcheon is spending her retirement trying to understand the surge of religiosity in our society. | Utopian Communities (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon) Description: We all dream of living in the perfect society. What is the history of utopianism and what kinds of experiments have there been in the U.S.? Why do a few succeed but most fail? What social conditions make people want to escape into a utopia? AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: American Culture; History; Philosophy; Scientific Racism: Is this an Oxymoron? (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon) Description: Despite efforts by anthropologists and biologists to temper the application of race labeling, it continues to thrive. What's wrong and what's right with the concept of race? Why does our society crave race categories? How do people confuse the recent use of DNA-based labeling systems with the scientific reality of race? AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Ethics; Hiawatha in History, Legend and Poetry (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon) Description: Most of us know about Hiawatha from Longfellow's long poem. But there was a historic Hiawatha as well as Iroquois legends embellishing this person's career. How did Longfellow come to pick Hiawatha for his poem? AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: American Culture; National Poetry Month (April); Native American Heritage Month (November); Creationism (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon) Description: Why do so many people embrace creationism and reject evolution? What are their arguments and how does creationism promote community, address concerns about education and the rearing of good children, and the perceived dangerous consequences of evolutionary thinking? AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Education/Teaching; Religion; Communicating Evolution (Speaker: Mary McCutcheon) Description: It does no good to argue with people who don't believe evolution. But since it is the foundation of modern biology and represents constructive critical thought in science, it is useful to know how to teach evolution without confrontation. This is not so much a lecture as a discussion. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Education/Teaching; Religion; |
| John G. Milliken | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Milliken-John-3.7.24.jpg-scaled.jpg | John Milliken is currently a Senior Fellow in Residence at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia, having concluded more than five decades of service as a public official and private attorney. Beginning in 1975, he served as Chief of Staff to Virginia’s Congressman Joseph L. Fisher and was elected in 1980 a Member of the Arlington County Board, stepping down in the middle of his third term to accept the position of Secretary of Transportation in the Administration of Governor Doug Wilder. During his years on the Arlington Board, he was a Member of the WMATA Board and the Transportation Planning Board of the Council of Governments. More recently, he served as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Virginia Port Authority under six Virginia Governors concluding his service in 2022. He is the co-editor of "The New Dominion: Twentieth Century Elections that Shaped Modern Virginia," published by UVA Press, and as an adjunct professor teaches Virginia Politics - 1902-2024 at George Mason University. | 20th and 21st Century Virginia Politics (Speaker: John Milliken) Description: The evolution of Virginia politics and demographics from the rural-dominated, white-controlled society and government of the first half of the 20th Century to today's robust multi-cultural economy and politics. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, Screen ; Categories: American Culture; Election Month (November); Government/Politics; History; |
| Tom Moncure | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Moncure-Tom.jpg | Tom Moncure retired from service to the Commonwealth in September of 2017 as Senior Assistant Attorney General and University Counsel for George Mason University. He previously held elected public offices as Clerk of Court for Stafford County, as a member of the House of Delegates, and on Colonial Beach Town Council. He retired from service as a career commissioned Military Police Officer following 26 years in the Army Reserves and Virginia Army National Guard. | Who is this Lady? (Speaker: Tom Moncure) Description: Explanation of the symbolism represented in the Seal of Virginia. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: History; The Ladies Mason – George’s Two Anns (Speaker: Tom Moncure) Description: An examination of the two women most closely associated with George Mason--his mother and wife--whose historical reputations would have been highly regarded but for their association with the "unknown" founder. AV Requirements: None; Categories: History; Women's History Month (March); George Mason the Man (Speaker: Tom Moncure) Description: Biographical with emphasis on his strength of character and central role in forming this government. Can readily tailor to audience interests and time constraints. AV Requirements: None; Categories: History; |
| Star Muir | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Muir-Star.jpg | Dr. Muir is Associate Professor in the Department of Communication at George Mason University, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh in Rhetoric and Communication, and his research now focuses on the impact of new media on attention and focus. Star has received numerous teaching and service awards, and most recently was awarded George Mason’s David King Award for career contribution to the teaching and learning environment at the University. A debate coach for almost 20 years, and a consultant to federal agencies on plain language writing, science writing and infographics, he has recently served as the President of the National Communication Association. | Understanding Digital Natives (Speaker: Star Muir) Description: Growing up with internet has changed the way youth and young adults learn, socialize, interact, and live their lives. This has inspired a growing literature about these new “digital natives,” about the “digital immigrants” that are teaching and raising them, and about the impact of these changes on brain development and habits of mind. This topic will feature discussion of characteristics of digital natives, identification of strategies for interacting with them, and exploration of how technology is changing the learning environment. AV Requirements: Screen; Categories: Communication; Managing Technostress (Speaker: Star Muir) Description: Our fast-paced world, with information bombarding us from computers, cell phones, media advertisements, spam and other sources, can overload and stress out our lives. This presentation identifies some of the impacts of information overload, and addresses different strategies for coping with these and other pressures in our rapid-fire mediated environment. AV Requirements: Screen; Categories: Critically Assessing Public Information (Speaker: Star Muir) Description: Offers a critical perspective on assessing and processing the vast amount of information that comes to us through public channels. Explores ways to understand and evaluate messages constructed to influence public behavior. AV Requirements: Screen; Categories: Communication; Computers and Communication (Speaker: Star Muir) Description: A closer look at social and individual aspects of the computer revolution, focusing on communication skills, distance learning, and the variety of social issues surrounding the Internet. AV Requirements: Screen; Categories: Communication; |
| Amy Murphy | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Amy-Murphy-Reformat.jpg | Amy Murphy, MPP, joined the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE!) in 2009. Amy serves as Project Director for the RNR Simulation Tool, an online suite of tools that operationalizes the Risk-Need-Responsivity principles. Amy’s additional projects at ACE include SOARING 2, an eLearning curriculum for criminal justice supervision officers, JSTEPS, an implementation study on contingency management in justice settings, and STRIDE, a randomized trial on the use of medication-assisted treatment among opioid-dependent individuals living with HIV. Prior to joining ACE!, Amy worked with the Center for Evidence-Based Corrections at the University of California, Irvine and with the Criminal Justice Research Division of the San Diego Association of Governments. Amy holds a master's degree in Public Policy from Duke University, and her primary interest is in applied research for policy application. | Crime and Public Policy (Speaker: Amy Murphy) Description: AV Requirements: LCD Projector; Categories: |
| Luis Ortiz | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Ortiz-Luis.jpg | My research centers on advancing our understanding of how cities interact with the atmosphere in the context of a changing climate, and the impacts these interactions have on people and infrastructure. My work considers cities as complex systems of environmental, human, and engineered domains, and aims to consider all three as critical to understanding the impacts of climate change as well as adaptation and mitigation strategies. I earned my PhD in 2018 from the City College of New York studying building-atmosphere interactions under extreme heat. I then joined the Urban Systems Lab at The New School from 2018 to 2021, where I worked on socioeconomic impacts of climate change in cities across the Americas. Before joining George Mason University in 2022, I completed an appointment with the Office of the US Secretary of Transportation, where I worked on climate policy, environmental justice, and environmental permitting transparency. | Extreme Heat in Cities: Drivers and Solutions (Speaker: Luis Ortiz) Description: A brief overview on the topic of extreme heat and its various drivers at the local and regional scale. The speaker will show the special case of cities and how they modify local climates to impact extreme heat, as well as discuss urban scale solutions and how they reduce the impacts of heat and energy burdens associated with cooling indoor spaces. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector ; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Earth Day (April); Environmental Awareness Month (September); |
| Mercedes Price | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Price-Mercedes-8.18.23.jpg | Mercedes Price is the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at George Mason University. In this role, she supports partnership development and fundraising efforts with corporations and foundation across the Mason community. Prior to joining Mason, Mercedes spent 13 years working in the international nonprofit realm. Her most recent position was with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, where she focused on business development and fundraising with federal and private philanthropic entities. She is a Maryland native and currently lives in Reston, VA with her family. | Partnering with Mason, Where Do I Start? (Speaker: Mercedes Price) Description: We understand that navigating a large public research university can be confusing, and it is often difficult to figure out where to start. A company may want to start an endowed scholarship, contribute corporate philanthropic dollars to the College of Visual Performing Arts, or put their name on a building. How do they know who to talk to? What if they just want to "get to know" Mason? The Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) team was formed to help corporations and foundations answer these questions and find an easy path into Mason. We are interested in learning from our partners what they would like to accomplish with a Mason partnership, and determine what we need to do in order to accomplish those goals. No two partnerships are the same, and we want to work with organizations on a model that is mutually beneficial. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: George Mason University; |
| Lisa Rabin | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Lisa-Rabin-5.jpg | Dr. Rabin received her B.A. in Spanish and French from Pomona College in 1986 and her Ph.D. in Spanish from Yale University in 1993. She has taught at George Mason in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages since 1992. Her current research is on tof post-World War II educational documentaries in the United States. | Latin American Film (Speaker: Lisa Rabin) Description: Professor Rabin can lecture on Latin American film of the twentieth century, including the “New Cinema” of the 1960s-1980s. She can also lecture on the 20th-century history of US educational documentaries for global education projects in and outside of the traditional classroom. AV Requirements: Internet, Laptop with DVD player, LCD, Screen; Categories: Arts; Hispanic Heritage Month (September/October); |
| David K. Rehr | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Rehr-David.jpg | David Rehr is a CEO with over 25 years experience in federal policy, fundraising, and association management. He currently serves as a Professor and Director for The Center for Business Civic Engagement at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He is cofounder of The Robotic Process Automation Initiative. Prior to joining Mason, David served as the President and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). Before joining the NAB, Rehr was President of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA). Under his leadership, NBWA’s visibility in the advocacy community soared, and the association was ranked as one of the top ten most influential lobbying organizations by Fortune magazine. Rehr, who has a doctorate in Economics from George Mason University, has been named to Washington Life magazine’s Power 100 list, and is annually listed as a Top Association Lobbyist by one of Congress’ “must read” publications, The Hill. Rehr regularly contributes research and analysis on television, radio and print operations all over the globe. His extraordinary skill set of experience and education has made him a nationally recognized leader in business advocacy in Washington, DC. | Effective Nonprofit leadership (Speaker: David Rehr) Description: What traits do nonprofit leaders need to be exceptional in their carers. Rehr, author of "8 Traits of an Exceptional Association CEO," will provide concrete steps on how nonprofit leaders can be effective and grow to be exceptional. He will talk about steps that can be taken to create a healthy and productive culture, advance diversity and inclusion, and what nonprofit board members look for in their nonprofit leadership. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Nonprofit Organizations/Charities; Communicating with Congress (Speaker: David Rehr) Description: Learn how to effectively communicate with Congress. Rehr is the author of The Congressional Communications Report, Landmark research on communication methods and preferences of congressional offices, they're staff and those working to influence them. Find out where Congress goes for information, what why rely on, what they actually use, and how you can use this information to help you cut through the information clutter faced. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Communication; Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; Influencing Congress (Speaker: David Rehr) Description: How Congress is influenced by citizens and interest groups. The topic includes: ● How does Congress receive information? ● Where do Members and staff look for information? ● How do activist citizens leverage relationships with elected officials? ● Which special interest organizations exercise their power well? Which do not achieve results? ● What advocacy tools are generally used? ● What does the future hold for advocacy and how will changes impact our constitutional rights? AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Communication; Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; |
| Edward Rhodes | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/rhodes_edward.jpg | Dr. Rhodes is an Emeritus faculty member of Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government, with a focus on American foreign and national security policy. Prior to joining Mason in 2010 as Dean of the School of Public Policy, Dr. Rhodes was on the faculty of Rutgers University, serving as founding Director of the Rutgers Center for Global Security and Democracy and as Dean of the Social and Behavioral Sciences. | America and the World: The Challenge of Foreign Policy (Speaker: Edward Rhodes) Description: Since its founding, the United States has wrestled with the challenge of creating a foreign policy that would protect the American people and the American republic, and be true to America's values, without destroying America as a democratic republic. This conversation explores the historical and intellectual roots of American foreign policy -- from Washington's "Farewell Address" and the Monroe Doctrine through the self-confident imperialism of Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson's war to "make the world safe for democracy" to today's debates over American military intervention and the war on terror. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Government/Politics; History; |
| Mark J. Rozell | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Mark-J-Rozell.jpg | Author of nine books on various topics in American politics, including the presidency, religion and politics, media and politics. Selected Past Media Appearances and Interviews: National/International. ABC “Nightline,” ABC “World News Tonight,” ABC “World News Sunday,” ABC “Good Morning America”, NBC “Today Show,” NBC “Nightly News,” CBS “Evening News,” CNN “Inside Politics,” CNN “Headline News,” NPR “All Things Considered,” BBC, CBC, Religion and Ethics News Weekly (PBS), Reuters, Reuters America TV, Associated Press, Knight-Ridder, Gannet News Service, ABC Radio, CBS Radio, NBC Radio, Congressional Quarterly Weekly Report, National Journal, Legal Times, National Law Journal, The Hill, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, L.A. Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Milwaukee Journal, St. Petersburg Times, Houston Chronicle, Newsday, Charlotte Observer, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Philadelphia Inquirer, Minneapolis Tribune, Detroit News, U.S. News & World Report, Des Moines Register, London Independent, London Financial Times, Toronto Globe & Mail, Le Presse, Tokyo Shinbun, National Post of Canada, among others. | Demographic Change and the Transformation of US Politics (Speaker: Mark Rozell) Description: How demographic change in the US is transforming our politics and the competitiveness of the two parties. AV Requirements: ; Categories: Government/Politics; What is the Political South? (Speaker: Mark Rozell) Description: Based on a research book project that examines the question of whether conventional definitions of the American South make any sense politically given the vast demographic and cultural shifts in the region. The presentation will explore how the South has fundamentally changed, creating entirely new challenges for the two major parties as they attempt to appeal to the region's changing demographics. AV Requirements: ; Categories: American Culture; Government/Politics; |
| Richard Rubenstein | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Rubenstein-Rich.jpg | Richard E. Rubenstein is University Professor Emeritus of Conflict Resolution and Public Affairs in the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University. Education: Harvard College, B.A. 1959 in History and Literature Oxford College, M.A. 1961 in Jurisprudence (Rhodes Scholar) Harvard Law School, J.D. 1963 Employment: University Professor of Conflict Resolution and Public Affairs, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, 1987-present University Professor, Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University, 1988-1991 Professor of Law, Antioch School of Law, Washington, D.C., 1979-1987 Associate Professor of Political Science, Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, 1970-1979 Assistant Director, Adlai Stevenson Institute of International Affairs, Chicago, Illinois, 1967-1970 Attorney, Steptoe & Johnson, Washington, D.C., 1963-1967 Books Authored: Rebels in Eden: Mass Political Violence in the United States (Boston: Little, Brown, 1970; London: Macdonald, 1970) Left Turn: Origins of the Next American Revolution (Boston: Little, Brown, 1973) Alchemists of Revolution: Terrorism in the Modern World (New York: Basic Books, 1987; London: I.B. Tauris, 1988; Barcelona and Buenos Aires: Granica, 1988) Comrade Valentine: The Story of Azef the Spy (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1993; Warsaw: Bellona, 2001) When Jesus Became God: The Struggle to Define Christianity during the Last Days of Rome (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1999; Paris: Editions Decouvertes, 2001; Rio de Janeiro: Fisus Ltda., 2002; Mexico City: Oceano, 2003) Aristotle’s Children: How Christians, Muslims, and Jews Rediscovered Ancient Wisdom and Illuminated the Middle Ages (New York: Harcourt Books, 2003; ; Seoul: Mimusa, 2004; Taiwan: Renew, 2004) Thus Saith the Lord: The Revolutionary Moral Vision of Isaiah and Jeremiah (New York: Harcourt Books, 2006) Reasons to Kill; Why Americans Choose War (London and New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2010) Resolving Structural Conflicts: How Violent Systems Can Be Transformed (London: Routledge, 2017). Books Edited: Conflict Resolution After the Pandemic: Building Peace, Pursuing Justice (with Solon Simmons) (London: Routledge, 2021). | Critical Race Theory: What Is All The Controversy About? (Speaker: Richard Rubenstein) Description: Critical race theory is an approach to issues of race, social structure, and history that has caused intense disagreement among analysts and activists of various political schools. This talk describes the doctrine analyzes the sources of disagreement about it, and suggests ways of resolving the conflict. AV Requirements: None; Categories: American Culture; Black History Month (February); Conflict Resolution; Cultural/Social/World Issues; War and Peace in an Age of Empire: What About China? (Speaker: Richard Rubenstein) Description: The speaker’s 2010 book, "Reasons to Kill: Why Americans Choose War," describes the arguments and images that persuade Americans to consent to wars. It looks as though many of those same propaganda techniques are being used to prepare Americans to accept a war with China. What is causing this and what can be done to prevent a violent war between empires? AV Requirements: None; Categories: American Culture; Conflict Resolution; Political Tribalism in America: Causes and Cures (Speaker: Richard Rubenstein) Description: Why do political conflicts in America increasingly resemble ethnic, religious, and nationalist struggles that have been fought out violently in many other nations. How can the threat of civil violence in our own country be averted? AV Requirements: None; Categories: American Culture; Conflict Resolution; Government/Politics; Religious Conflicts and Their Resolution (Speaker: Richard Rubenstein) Description: Why do religious conflicts sometimes become lethal? What is causing the current spread of violent religious conflicts worldwide? What can be done to resolve these conflicts? AV Requirements: None; Categories: Communication; Conflict Resolution; Crime/Violence; Religion; Poverty, Inequality, and Conflict (Speaker: Richard Rubenstein) Description: How do poverty and inequality generate violent conflict even in a wealthy nation like the U.S.A.? What can be done to alter or eliminate the root causes of crime, structural violence, and war? This lecture brings the insights of conflict analysis and resolution to bear on an increasingly critical domestic problem. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Conflict Resolution; Crime/Violence; Public Policy/Law; |
| Danielle S. Rudes | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Rudes-Danielle-S.jpg | Danielle S. Rudes, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Criminology, Law and Society and the Deputy Director of the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence (ACE!) at George Mason University (gmuace.org). She received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine. Dr. Rudes is an expert qualitative researcher whose methods include ethnographic observation, interviews, and focus groups with over 20 years of experience working with corrections agencies at the federal, state, and local county levels including prisons, jails, probation/parole agencies and problem-solving courts. She is recognized for her work examining how social control organizations and their middle management and street-level workers understand, negotiate, and at times, resist change. Dr. Rudes experience includes working with community corrections agencies during adoption, adaptation and implementation of various workplace practices and reforms including: contingency management (incentives/rewards/sanctions), risk-needs assessment instruments and motivational interviewing. Dr. Rudes serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment and on the Editorial Board of the journals Criminal Justice & Behavior, Law & Policy, and Victims & Offenders and publishes regularly in journals such as Criminal Justice & Behavior, Federal Probation, Punishment & Society, Law & Policy, Law & Society Review, and Justice Quarterly. Dr. Rudes is also the 2012 winner of the Teaching Excellence Award, the 2015 Mentoring Excellence Award, the 2016 Emerging Researcher/Scholar/Creator Award, and the 2019 Sustaining Mentoring Award at George Mason University, the 2018 Teaching Award from the American Society of Criminology and the 2021 Mentoring Award from the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences. Her forthcoming book, Surviving Solitary: Living and Working in Restricted Housing Units is due out in spring 2022 with Stanford University Press. | Implementing Policy/Practice Reform in U.S. Corrections Agencies (Speaker: Danielle Rudes) Description: As organizations move scientific, scholarly research into work environments, our knowledge of implementation processes grows. However, scholars still know little about how managers and staff acquire knowledge about evidence-based or evidence-informed practices (EBPs/EIPs), how much they understand them and how they are used. This study examines how organizational actors understand, negotiate and implement reforms including EBPs in community corrections agencies (adult and juvenile probation/parole within federal, state and local systems). Using data from over 1000 hours of qualitative observations of and interviews with 114+ community corrections senior and middle managers and street-level staff in adult and juvenile probation/parole and problem solving courts this project extends current scholarship by combining focusing explicitly on definitions, sources, understandings and uses of scientific and scholarly research for practice and policy decisions. It also expands existing data by analyzing in-depth, follow up interviews with community corrections workers to elicit detailed narratives specifically about how community corrections managers and staff: 1) define EBPs; 2) seek/gather information regarding EBPs, 3)understand EBPs and their role in their agency, and 4) adapt/adopt EBPs to fit within existing agency policies and practices. Ultimately, this research will enhance existing knowledge about the implementation, dissemination, translation and sustainability of reforms within community supervision settings. AV Requirements: LCD Projector; Categories: Crime/Violence; Education/Teaching; Law Enforcement; Public Policy/Law; |
| Steve Ruth | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/steve-ruth-headshot.png | Stephen Ruth is a retired Professor of Public Policy from George Mason University, and former director of the International Center for Applied Studies in Information Technology (ICASIT). His research interests are focused on the problems of policy and strategic planning associated with leveraging the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in large organizations, with particular emphasis on Telework, Green IT, and the Return on Investment for E-Learning. He has received a Distinguished Professor award at George Mason University and was a Virginia Outstanding Professor honoree. Dr. Ruth received his BS from the U.S. Naval Academy and MS from the Navy Postgraduate School, and served twenty- three years in the Navy, retiring with the rank of Captain. His PhD is from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He is author or co-author of over one hundred published articles and four books. | A New Look at Famous Biblical Curses and Blessings: Do They Apply Today? (Speaker: Steve Ruth) Description: The current political climate seems to be filled with threats and sometimes near-apocalyptic warnings. Stephen Ruth finds them very similar to some of the biblical writings. The Bible’s major and minor prophets feature curses, threats, and fierce complaints against Israel’s enemies, as well as stern commentaries aimed at the people of Israel themselves. The Torah has examples of horrific threats against those who do not obey God’s commands. At times Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher and the Book of Revelation frequently has threatening messages—and St. Paul’s epistles have elements that are quite severe. Currently, some page-one stories about the artificial intelligence, dark web, revenge porn, deep fake, and ransomware might remind a reader of passages in Isaiah, Ezekiel, or Jeremiah. But the Bible is also filled with some of the most beautiful and hopeful blessings and prophecies to be found anywhere in literature. This class will balance some of the harsh Bible elements with incomparably uplifting passages about dry bones living again, light overpowering darkness, love overcoming hate, and many others. No previous knowledge is needed, and the instructor promises that nearly all of these passages—happy and sad—will be familiar, even though their biblical origins might be surprising. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Religion; Looking for Public Policy Solutions? Some Lessons from the Bible (Speaker: Steve Ruth) Description: Are there useful lessons from the Bible to help economists manage inflation? How about political insights? Can we learn from the ancient kings and prophets, matriarchs and patriarchs about how to govern properly? What about the countless issues that are on page one every day such as: artificial intelligence, revenge porn, misinformation, political intrigue, agriculture policy, taxation, and a score of others? This course takes direct aim at linking the Bible with current events today. It includes management advice to Solomon from his father-in-law; agricultural policy in ancient Egypt under Joseph's guidance; King Josiah's response to an unfavorable report unearthed unexpectedly; St. Paul's perspective on slavery, women's rights and celibacy; Mary Magdalene on giving financial support to a controversial movement; and of course, the teachings of Jesus on division of wealth, rights of the poor and the indigent, and dozens more. No Bible knowledge is expected. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; Religion; Civil Rights in Biblical Times: What Was It Like Then and Does Anything from That Era Apply Today? (Speaker: Steve Ruth) Description: Many of us look to the Bible to justify our views on the rights of women, minorities, immigrants, persons with disabilities, etc., as well as finding models for good and bad management of cities, towns, and countries, plus tax policy, land management, and many more issues. This talk spans two millennia of biblical themes from the patriarchs (and a few matriarchs) all the way through the time of Jesus, examining the way laws and general practice affected the rich and the poor, men and women, free people and slaves, civil and uncivil societies. It will compare those times to the present day in the context of many of the issues that are on the front burner of current national policy considerations. Many famous biblical figures and their influence on various themes will be included: the daughters of Zelophehad, Mary Magdalene, and St. Paul on women’s rights; Joshua, Solomon, and Cyrus on nation building; Moses, Jesus, and St. Peter on slavery; Moses and St. Paul on homosexuality, and dozens more. There will be extensive citations from biblical sources as well as perspectives from commentators, such as Josephus, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Raymond Brown, Martin Buber, Teilhard de Chardin, and others. No previous familiarity with the Old or New Testament is needed. AV Requirements: ; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Religion; Familiar Apocalyptic Themes: Modern Speculations about Famous Biblical Threats and Curses (Speaker: Steve Ruth) Description: The Bible is filled with apocalyptic material. The writings of the major and minor prophets feature curses, threats, and fierce complaints against Israel’s enemies, as well as stern commentaries aimed at the people of Israel themselves. The Torah has examples of horrific threats against those who do not obey God’s commands. Similarly, the New Testament is replete with apocalyptic statements. At times Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher; the Book of Revelation is rife with threatening messages, and St. Paul’s epistles are equally severe. Does any of the Biblical material seem familiar today? We will first review the most significant examples of apocalyptic themes and then look at some modern examples. For example, Elon Musk used the term “summoning the demons” to describe his concern that artificial intelligence could possibly lead to unpreventable wars between nations. Stephen Hawking and other scientists have expressed similar fears. Currently, some page-one stories about the dark web, revenge porn, deep fake, and ransomware might remind a reader of passages in Isaiah, Ezekiel, or Jeremiah. There will be time for discussion and speculation. AV Requirements: ; Categories: Religion; Prayer in America— an important part of our history, or a distraction? (Speaker: Steve Ruth) Description: James P. Moore’s book, “One Nation Under God,” is an amazing source of insight and understanding into the role of prayer starting at the very beginning of the American experience. A summary of Moore's book states that it “brings together the country's hymns, patriotic anthems, arts, and literature as a framework for telling the story of the innermost thoughts of the people who shaped United States we know today.” Beginning with Native Americans “One Nation Under God” traces the prayer lives of Quakers, Shakers, Muslims, Catholics, and Jews, from the earliest days of the United States through the advent of cyberspace, the aftermath of 9/11 and later presidential elections. It probes the approach to prayer by such diverse individuals as Benjamin Franklin, Elvis Presley, Frank Lloyd Wright, Martha Graham, J.C. Penney, Mary Pickford, Cesar Chavez, PT Barnum, Jackie Robinson, and Christopher Columbus it includes every president of the United States as well as American farmers, clergy, immigrants, industrialists, minor sports heroes and scientists.” This talk will take the audience on a trip across centuries of American history, focused almost entirely on prayer. In case that sounds boring, the speaker guarantees that there will be abundant surprises, not just about the many historical personalities that will be examined, but also about the amazing ways that prayer has solidified the country, particularly in times of serious trouble. An example is Mark Twain's "The War Prayer" which his publishers were unwilling to release because of its explosive political ramifications. We will examine dozens of these examples of the importance and the relevance of prayer, including FDR’s famous note to the Allied troops before the Normandy landings. AV Requirements: ; Categories: Religion; |
| Paolo Saguato | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Saguato-Paulo-11.2.21.jpg | Paolo Saguato specializes in financial regulation and international finance. His research interests encompass the intersection of banking, securities, and derivatives markets ad regulation; the international and comparative dynamics and regulations of financial institutions; financial innovation and technology; and corporate law and theory. His recent scholarship has been published in the Yale Journal on Regulation; the Stanford Journal of Law, Business and Finance; the Virginia Business & Law Review; the Journal of Corporate Law Studies; and The Oxford Handbook of Financial Regulation. He is the co-editor of the first book on the infrastructure of financial markets, published by Oxford University Press. He currently serves as an expert on the Policy Committee on Central Clearinghouses of the European Securities Markets Authority. Before joining Antonin Scalia Law School, Professor Saguato was a Research Fellow at the Georgetown Law Center (Institute of International Economic Law) and a Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he received the Teaching Excellence Award. Before that, he was a Global Hauser Fellow at New York University School of Law where he was affiliated with the Center for Financial Institutions. Professor Saguato earned a BA (Laurea in Scienze Giuridiche) and a JD (Laurea Magistrale in Giurisprudenza) summa cum laude at the University of Genoa (Italy) and a Ph.D. in Private, Business, and International Law at the same university. In addition, he holds an LLM from Yale Law School, which he attended as a Fulbright Scholar, focusing his studies on financial markets regulation and corporate law, and was a senior editor of the Yale Journal on Regulation. | Brexit, Climate Change, FinTech (Speaker: Paolo Saguato) Description: Financial markets have been challenged by new disrupting forces and events. My research has explored how these disrupting events are changing the way markets operate and how policymakers are responding. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Business/Finance; Public Policy/Law; Technology; |
| Sergei A. Samoilenko | No image | Sergei A. Samoilenko, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at George Mason University. He is a co-founder and the director of Mason’s Lab for Character Assassination and Reputation Politics. He teaches courses on variety of topics including: political communication, crisis communication, reputation management, cancel culture, and many others. His research focuses on issues in public relations, reputation management, crisis communication, and post-socialist studies. He is an author and co-editor of Routledge Handbook of Character Assassination and Reputation Management, Handbook of Research on Deception, Fake News, and Misinformation Online, Character Assassination and Reputation Management: Theory and Applications, and Media and Public Relations Research in Post-Socialist Societies. | Cancel Culture as a New Social Conflict: Reputation Management Lessons (Speaker: Sergei Samoilenko) Description: Reputation management has become more complicated in the context of new ethics. This presentation addresses an ongoing social conflict represented in cancel culture and moral outrage campaigns. The presentation illustrates new ways to counter reputational crises through pre-emptive inoculation and image repair strategies whether it be scientific arguments or attacks on individuals or organizations. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Screen; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; |
| Bill Schneider | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Bill-Schneider.jpg | Bill Schneider is Professor Emeritus at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He was the Cable News Network’s senior political analyst from 1990 to 2009. He has been a visiting professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, Boston College, and Brandeis University. Schneider is the author of Standoff: How America Became Ungovernable, published by Simon & Schuster in 2018. He is also an Opinion contributor to The Hill, a Washington newspaper and website, and a contributing analyst to Hill.TV and Al Jazeera English television. Schneider has covered every U.S. presidential and midterm election since 1976 for The Los Angeles Times, the Atlantic Monthly, CNN, and Al Jazeera English. Schneider has been labeled "the nation's electionmeister'' by The Washington Times and "the Aristotle of American politics'' by The Boston Globe. Campaigns and Elections Magazine called him "the most consistently intelligent analyst on television.'' He was a member of the CNN political team that won an Emmy for its 2006 election coverage and a Peabody for its 2008 coverage. Schneider received his B.A. from Brandeis University and his Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University. From 1990 through 1995, he was the Speaker Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Visiting Professor of American Politics at Boston College. In 2002, he was the Fred and Rita Richman Distinguished Visiting Professor at Brandeis University. In 2003, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University awarded Schneider its Centennial Medal for contributions to society. In 2001, he received the Julian P. Kanter Award for Excellence in Television from the American Association of Political Consultants. He is also the recipient of an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Brandeis University in 2008. In 2009, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems presented Schneider with a special award "for his extensive coverage and keen insight of the 2008 United States presidential elections . . . showcasing democracy in action'' to the world. Bill Schneider is co-author, with Seymour Martin Lipset, of The Confidence Gap: Business, Labor and Government in the Public Mind. He has also written extensively on politics and public opinion for The Los Angeles Times, The New Republic, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Politico, Reuters, National Journal, NBC News Think, HuffPost, and The Hill. | Divided We Stand (Speaker: Bill Schneider) Description: Students sometimes ask, ``Is this the most divided the U.S. has ever been?’’ I remind them that we did once have a civil war where three quarters of a million Americans died during that terrible time, most from disease or starvation. But I add, this is the most divided the U.S. has been since the Civil War. How did this happen? I trace the country’s political divide back to the 1960s, when divisions over values began to replace divisions over interests. Interests (like business versus labor) can be negotiated and compromised. Values (right versus wrong) cannot. Is there any way to resolve the division short of another civil war? AV Requirements: None; Categories: Communication; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Election Month (November); Government/Politics; History; What’s Ahead in Politics (Speaker: Bill Schneider) Description: All topics related to the current political scene. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Election Month (November); Government/Politics; |
| Linda Seligmann | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/seligmann_linda.jpg | Linda J. Seligmann is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at George Mason University. She is a specialist in Latin America with research interests in agrarian issues, political economy, informal economies, and the dynamics of gender, class, and ethnicity, especially in the Andean region. She has published Peruvian Street Lives: Culture, Power and Economy among Market Women of Cuzco and Between Reform and Revolution: Political Struggles in the Peruvian Andes, 1969-1991, the edited volumes, Women Traders in Cross-Cultural Perspective: Mediating Identities, Marketing Wares and The Andean World (with Kathleen Fine-Dare), as well as numerous articles. Her forthcoming book is entitled Quinoa: Food Politics and Agrarian Life in the Andean Highlands. Seligmann also published Broken Links, Enduring Ties: American Adoption across Race, Class and Nation, based on first-hand research on family-making through transnational and transracial adoption in the U.S. and on changing configurations of American families. Seligmann served as Director of the Center for the Study of the Americas at George Mason, was a faculty fellow in Yale University’s Program in Agrarian Studies, and Associate Director of the National Resource Center of Latin American and Iberian Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. | Andes, Quinoa (Speaker: Linda Seligmann) Description: Speaker will discuss the impact of global demand for quinoa on the culture, development, and agrarian lives of Quechua quinoa cultivators in the Andes. AV Requirements: ; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Hispanic Heritage Month (September/October); Transnational and Transracial Adoption and the Changing Faces of American Families (Speaker: Linda Seligmann) Description: Speaker has completed major project on changing faces of American family. Will discuss multiple impacts of transnational and transracial adoption on family-making in the U.S. Seligmann’s book, Broken Links, Enduring Ties: American Adoption across Race, Class, and Nation (Stanford University Press, 2013) examines the experiences of families who have adopted from China, Russia, and those who have adopted African American children transracially in the U.S., including the experiences of the children themselves. AV Requirements: Flip Chart, Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: American Culture; Childhood Development/Parenting; Peru, Indigenous Populations, Conflict (Speaker: Linda Seligmann) Description: Speaker will discuss current and past conditions and livelihoods of Quechua-speaking indigenous peoples in Peru. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Hispanic Heritage Month (September/October); History; Andean Markets (Speaker: Linda Seligmann) Description: Speaker will address the markets of the Peruvian Andes, with special attention to gender relationships and the impacts of neoliberal economic policies, tourism, and decentralization. Addresses intersection of informal and formal economies. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Business/Finance; Economic Development; Hispanic Heritage Month (September/October); |
| Susan Shields | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Susan-Shields.jpg | Susan Shields is a choreographer and teacher. She has been commissioned by numerous ballet companies throughout the country including, Ballet West, Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Richmond Ballet, American Repertory Ballet, Washington Ballet, and Boston Ballet II. Most recently, an evening of her work was produced at the George Mason University Center for the Arts. She has performed internationally with many modern and ballet companies. She was a member of Baryshnikov's White Oak Dance Project, and an eight year member of the Lar Lubivitch Dance Company, where she danced principal roles. She has also performed with Mark Morris Dance Group, Eliot Feld, and The Washington Ballet. | The Art of Choreography (Speaker: Susan Shields) Description: Uses lecture, video, and/or live performance to look at dance. AV Requirements: TV/VCR; Categories: Arts; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); How Do You Choreograph a Dance? (Speaker: Susan Shields) Description: Discussion of the craft and artistry and happy coincidence in making a dance. AV Requirements: TV/VCR; Categories: Arts; National Arts and Humanities Month (October); |
| George Siragusa | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Siragusa-George-11.23-scaled.jpg | George is a coach, mentor and adviser to startup founders, growth and venture Company CEOs and their teams serving as a Senior Business Adviser and Counselor at the George Mason's Enterprise Center’s Small Business Development Center. George has advised hundreds of companies on Lean Start Up Principles, business strategy, strategic marketing, customer acquisition, sales development, channel management, leadership, team building, financial projections, investor preparations and organizational design and much more. George also is an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University’s School of Engineering where he has led a required course entitled “Entrepreneurship for Engineers and Scientists. Professor Siragusa also holds the position as "Mentor-in-Residence" for students and staff George Mason's Horizon Hall at the central Fairfax campus. George’s vast and deep experience spans two parallel 30+ year careers as both a former Global C-Suite Executive at ExxonMobil, and as a commissioned U.S. Naval Officer with command leadership positions (Captain, retired both U.S. Navy active and reserve tours), including a tour with a Naval Component Command of NATO. George has served as adviser and mentor for three Northern Virginia Area Accelerators (Smart City Works, Inova Health Personal Health Care and Mach 37) and has been an entrepreneur himself serving on the board of a small, boutique marketing consulting firm in Florida. George is an engineering graduate of the United States Naval Academy, with a Master's Degree from Central Michigan University. He is a certified Growth Wheel International Business Adviser and has advanced expertise in International Marketing from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business and International Leadership Studies at Thunderbird University for Executive Leadership. George is a Greenbelt in Lean 60 Process Management and has 11 years of university teaching experience. George also has been a Certified Track and Field Official in Northern Virginia for 24 years. | Building your Business Performance Dashboard Metrics and Key Performance Indicators (1-hour minimum presentation) (Speaker: George Siragusa) Description: Upon completion of this talk, you should be able to: See what business dashboards look like; Understand why a “scorecard” is important; Become familiar with the principles that guide your first dashboard draft; Know how to get started and begin building a dashboard for your business; Decide on a group of simple but important key metrics; See what software is available making scorecard development easier; Use metrics with your business team and establish your own stewardship and reporting process; See some recommended frequencies to consider or refreshing and reporting your key metrics; See how insights from your Business Dashboard can make a significant impact on your business performance; See the range of positive actions you can take based on the dashboard metrics and insights. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers ; Categories: Business/Finance; Entrepreneurship; Exploring the Many Sources of Innovation (1-hour minimum presentation) (Speaker: George Siragusa) Description: Explore how and where business opportunities start and examine a framework for determining which technological innovations create real value. AV Requirements: LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Engineering; Entrepreneurship; Science; STEM; Technology; |
| Sita Slavov | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Slavov-Sita-10.4.21-1-scaled.jpg | Sita Nataraj Slavov is a professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government, where she specializes in public finance and the economics of aging (including older people’s work and retirement decisions, Social Security, and tax reform). She has previously served as a senior economist specializing in public finance issues at the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers. She was also a member of the 2019 Social Security Technical Panel on Assumptions and Methods, and she has taught at Occidental College. Professor Slavov has testified before Congress on issues relating to Social Security, and her work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Health Economics, the Journal of Public Economics, the Journal of Human Resources, the Review of Economic Studies, and the Journal of Public Economic Theory. In addition to her scholarly work, she has been published in the popular press, including in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, RealClearPolicy, RealClearMarkets, US News & World Report, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. Professor Slavov received her Ph.D. in economics from Stanford University and her B.A. from the College of William and Mary. | Social Security and Retirement Policy (Speaker: Sita Slavov) Description: Professor Slavov can cover a variety of topics related to retirement and Social Security (ranging from policy options to individual decisions about when to claim benefits) depending on the audience interests. Her area of research is retirement policy. Her talk can be aimed at people approaching Social Security eligibility age, with some research findings that can help them think through their options, or aimed at a general audience, educating them on what’s going on with Social Security and any reform options. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Aging; Economic Development; Public Policy/Law; |
| Paula Sorrell | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Sorrell-Paula.jpg | Paula Sorrell is the Associate Vice President of Innovation and Economic Development at George Mason University. She oversees an extended team of 200 across Virginia that include the Office of Technology Transfer, the federal and state programs that provide counseling and training to small business and entrepreneurship (SBDC, PTAC, WBC, CDFI, ICAP, ICORPS and others), regional investor events, six business incubators in Northern Virginia, and the maker spaces and entrepreneurial programming at Mason. She joined after a position as Director of the Economic Growth Institute at the University of Michigan and taught ‘Technology Commercialization’ and ‘Reimagining Companies through Innovation’ in the University of Michigan College of Engineering’s Center for Entrepreneurship. At U of M, she developed and oversaw award-winning programs (IEDC, APLU) to build lab-to-market activities in partnership with 15 public research universities, resulting in 213 new products launched and a $133 ROI. She also was the Principal Investigator for research in economic development, including mapping the entrepreneurial ecosystem, best practices in the development of commercial ethnic districts, and national best practices in technology commercialization. She served for four years as Vice President of Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Venture Capital for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, overseeing $1B under management and $110 Million in new investments to build Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, including university research and tech transfer programs, technology service providers, tech incubators across the state, seed funding programs, portfolio investments and fund of funds. She developed a series of programs to increase lab-to-market activities, resulting in an expansion of tech start-ups and funding mechanisms that resulted in a 32:1 return on investment for public dollars. She created programs to draw more than $600M of capital and talent to Michigan’s tech economy, and turned around a 65,000 square foot biotech incubator into a profitable entity. She has held senior management roles at seven early technology companies, holding the chief marketing position. All start-ups resulted in successful sale of the company, or are still a going concern. She was an early founding member of the 20-year-old SBDC Tech Team, a business consulting group that helps early stage companies raise $70 Million each year. Paula serves on the governing boards of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority and the American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Institute, several local economic and innovation-focused advisory boards, and the leadership committee of the State Science and Technology Institute, and is a National Science Foundation reviewer. She holds bachelor and master degrees in business from Central Michigan University, and a certified board member through Harvard Business School’s executive education. | Technology Commercialization (Speaker: Paula Sorrell) Description: Getting a new research product to market. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Economic Development; Entrepreneurship; Entrepreneurship (Speaker: Paula Sorrell) Description: Launching a technical company, market exploration, customer discovery. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Economic Development; Entrepreneurship; |
| Sean A. Spence | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Sean-A.-Spence.jpg | Dr. Sean Spence is an adjunct professor at George Mason University's Costello College of Business, with prior teaching experience at the University of Maryland and Rice University. His passion for finance began while leading the Student-Run Saber Fund at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, inspiring him to establish his own successful private equity fund. Dr. Spence also excels as a Business Consultant specializing in Strategy and Corporate Finance, having worked with top firms like Deloitte Consulting and Booz Allen Hamilton. He contributes his expertise to the Cherry Hill Development Authority as a board member. A retired Army reserve officer, Dr. Spence's distinguished military career includes leadership roles and overseas assignments in Iraq, Kosovo, Korea, Kuwait, and Honduras. | Mission and Money: Using Corporate Strategy to Strengthen Your Small Church or Non-Profit (Speaker: Sean Spence) Description: Discover how strategic planning and financial tools typically used by businesses can enhance the reach and impact of your faith-based organization or non-profit. Learn how to optimize resources, attract funding, and achieve sustainable growth while staying true to your mission. AV Requirements: Internet, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Government/Politics; Leadership/Career Development; Religion; From Side Hustle to Success: Transform Your Small Business with Corporate Strategy (Speaker: Sean Spence) Description: Whether you're running a lemonade stand or a start-up law firm, learn how corporate finance and strategy principles can take your business to the next level. Gain insights into maximizing profits, managing risks, and creating long-term growth. AV Requirements: Internet, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Business/Finance; Economic Development; Financial Literacy Month (April); George Mason University; |
| Ana Stoehr | No image | Full time faculty member who specializes in nursing and management; certified in Perioperative nursing and Critical Care; a retired Navy nurse with a vast array of experiences around the world. | Management in Health Care (Speaker: Ana Stoehr) Description: The evolving management requirements in today's health care. AV Requirements: Flip Chart, Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, TV and VCR, White Board and Markers; Categories: Education/Teaching; Government/Politics; Leadership/Career Development; |
| June Tangney | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Tangney-June.jpg | June Price Tangney received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UCLA. After teaching for two years at Bryn Mawr College, she joined the Psychology Department at George Mason University in 1988, where she is currently Professor of Psychology. In 2007, she was honored to become University Professor at GMU. A Fellow of APA’s Division of Personality and Social Psychology and the American Psychological Society, Professor Tangney is coauthor (with Ronda Dearing) of Shame and and co-editor (with Mark Leary) of the Handbook of Self and Identity. She serves as Editor for Self and Identity. Her research on the development and implications of moral emotions has been funded by NIDA, NICHD, NSF, and the John Templeton Foundation. Currently, her work focuses on moral emotions among incarcerated offenders. A recipient of GMU’s Teaching Excellence Award, she strives to integrate service, teaching and clinically-relevant research in both the classroom and her lab. | Humility: The Forgotten Virtue (Speaker: June Tangney) Description: Humility is not simply modesty or low self-esteem. It is a complex virtue that invites creativity and collaboration. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Shame and Guilt: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (Speaker: June Tangney) Description: Shame and guilt are moral emotions that can be useful in fostering moral behavior. I discuss ways in which to minimize the destructive aspects of these human emotions. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Psychology; New Approaches to Treatment During Incarceration (Speaker: June Tangney) Description: New research provides a framework for more constructive treatment approaches to break the cycle of crime. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Crime/Violence; Law Enforcement; Public Policy/Law; |
| Tojo Thatchenkery | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/thatchenkery_tojo.jpg | Tojo Thatchenkery (Ph.D. Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University) is an internationally known speaker, consultant, and educator. He is professor and director of the Organization Development and Knowledge Management program at George Mason University, Arlington, Virginia. He is also a member of the NTL Institute of Applied Behavioral Science and the Taos Institute. Thatchenkery is the author of over a dozen books and hundreds of articles. One of them, Appreciative Intelligence: Seeing the Mighty Oak in the Acorn was a Harvard Business Review recommend book. In it he states that the secret to success lies in something that everyone has the ability to do: reframe reality to reveal the hidden potential often present in the most challenging situations. Appreciative Intelligence also helps others to accept the present moment as full of promises, a key ingredient to mindfulness. In another book, Making the Invisible Visible Thatchenkery introduced the concept of quiet leadership as a key driver for innovation in organizations. The quiet leader mindfully observes what’s around her and builds on the strengths of the team. He has also written books on appreciative inquiry, knowledge management, sustainable development, social capital, postmodernism, and information technology and economic development. Thatchenkery has extensive consulting experience in change management, leadership development, organization design and strategy, diversity, and knowledge management. Past and current clients include Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, IBM, Fannie Mae, Booz Allen, Deloitte, PNC Bank, Lucent Technologies, General Mills, 3M, British Petroleum, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, United States Department of Agriculture, United States Environmental Protection Agency, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, USPS OIG, U.S Department of Treasury, Akbank (Turkey), and the Tata Consulting Services (India). His research and consulting also focuses on Asian Americans and organizational mobility. Starting with his special issue of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences on this topic, he is one of the first researchers to analyze the human and social capital dynamics unique to Asian Americans in federal agencies and corporate America. Thatchenkery regularly consults and offers workshops to public and private sector organizations on this topic. Thatchenkery has over twenty-five years of experience in teaching at various Public Policy, MBA, Organization Development, and executive development programs in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences and the Journal of Organizational Change Management and is the past Program Chair of the Research Methods Division of the Academy of Management (http://aom.org/). He also founded the Organizational Learning Laboratory at the George W. Johnson Learning Center and served as its director from 1995 to 2000. During this time the facility was featured as one of the leading laboratories for organizational learning and knowledge management by the Academy of Management and the Project Management Journal and served clients such as Fannie Mae. For more information about Thatchenkery, please visit www.appreciativeintelligence.com | Mindful Leadership for Innovation (Speaker: Tojo Thatchenkery) Description: If you were to analyze the top 50 of the over 1,000 leadership books published during the last five years you will find that there isn’t a single approach to leadership that will work in every situation. Ironically, many of them contradict one another. But, is there a mindset or attitude about being a leader that might work for us irrespective of our industry or specialty? I believe there is and I call it the mindful leadership. Mindful leadership does not ask us to locate ourselves in a quadrant, follow ten strategies, or practice seven steps. It merely asks us to pay attention and notice what’s around us. The ancient Buddhist practice of paying full attention to the present moment intentionally and non-judgmentally holds significant promise for developing leadership and creating innovation without strife and stress. Mindfulness enables us to recognize simple, practical responses to difficult innovation challenges rather than reacting out of habit. However, being aware is not an easy mental state to be in for most of us. It takes practice to engage with openness and see new possibilities for innovation. Being open to experiences without judging is an act of appreciation. This talk will explore the rather paradoxical task of merely paying attention to accentuate our awareness of the socially constructed nature of organizational reality and to feel comfortable to act with simplicity, empathy, and conviction. Examples from companies such as Google, Target, and General Mills that have developed mindful leadership programs will be shared. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen, Lavalier Microphone, Two Speakers; Categories: Communication; Education/Teaching; Leadership/Career Development; Psychology; Appreciative Inquiry for Organizational Change and Development (Speaker: Tojo Thatchenkery) Description: Most approaches to understanding organizations are embedded in a "problem solving" paradigm. This deficiency model of organizations calls for the development of techniques and tools to accurately identify and diagnose problems. In contrast to this clinical focus, appreciative inquiry focuses on what works in an organization. By exploring events when people are at their best, appreciative inquiry identifies the core values and finds ways to build on them to enhance organizational sustainability. This talk will introduce the audience to the basic tenets of appreciative inquiry and help them gain the experience of using it in various organizational setting. He will also share from his experience of having conducted many AI engagements in public, private, nonprofit, and international organizations. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen, Lavalier Microphone, Two Speakers; Categories: Communication; Education/Teaching; Psychology; Appreciative Intelligence®: Develop Leadership, Transform Difficult Conversations, and Discover Common Ground (Speaker: Tojo Thatchenkery) Description: Appreciative Intelligence is the ability to see the generative potential in any situation and to actualize it. It is a leadership skillset that will enable you to step into conflict mindfully, and to transform difficult conversations into positive outcomes. As a leader by improving your Appreciative Intelligence you will have expanded abilities to reframe conflict situations and help move affected parties to a common ground. While challenging projects and difficult conversations will always be there, your approach to dealing with them will be more mindful, transforming conflict into opportunities to create better understanding, gain mutual respect, and create shared goals. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen, Lavalier Microphone, Two Speakers; Categories: Communication; Education/Teaching; Leadership/Career Development; Psychology; Strategies for Thriving in a Changing Environment (Speaker: Tojo Thatchenkery) Description: Continuous innovation in information technology had led to unprecedented efficiencies at work. However, in an environment of economic crises and downsizing the same technology that helps you do things more efficiently also sets up expectations for accomplishing more with fewer resources. You are overwhelmed by the demands on your job, experience stress, and recognize the need to develop coping strategies to stay resilient, effective and healthy. Dr. Thatchenkery will introduce you to new developments on how to reframe and embrace change with a positive mindset as opposed to resisting and fearing it. You will also learn new ways of thinking about stress and develop resilience. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen, Lavalier Microphone, Two Speakers; Categories: Human Resource Management/Personnel; Leadership/Career Development; Psychology; Quiet Leadership: Discovering the New Strategic Advantage and the Hidden Talent in Your Organization (Speaker: Tojo Thatchenkery) Description: “A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind,” wrote Nelson Mandela in his autobiography. In the United States, leadership is closely connected to charisma and visibility. If you are not visible, you are not a leader. In many other parts of the world, especially in Asian cultures, leadership is not about being visible. It is the opposite: quietly doing your work and assuming that rewards will come. Can tacit assumptions about leadership lead to different outcomes regarding who occupies top leadership positions in corporate America and other organizations? What is the reason that despite founding one fourth of firms in the Silicon Valley during the technology boom, Asian Americans are still perceived as not “leadership material?” The evidence suggests that Asian Americans, a mere five percent of the U.S population has contributed a significantly high proportion of entrepreneurs and innovators. But they practice a form of quiet or invisible leadership because of an unconscious, deep rooted cultural assumption that leadership is about enabling and empowering, not about bringing attention to oneself and shining. Based on Dr. Thatchenkery’s new book on this topic the talk will highlight the leadership contributions of Asian Americans in organizational settings. It will show that empowering such invisible leaders can create meaningful and positive change in organizations. AV Requirements: LCD, Screen, Lavalier Microphone, Two Speakers; Categories: American Culture; Human Resource Management/Personnel; Leadership/Career Development; |
| Phil Thomas | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Thomas-Phil-11.6.23-scaled.jpg | Phil Thomas is an Adjunct Faculty Member at the Schar School of Policy and Government and the Honors College at GMU since 2013 where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on the causes and effects of global hunger and the interrelationship between food security and national security, conducted research, and authored food security related articles. While at GMU, he has organized a series of summits on global food aid and food security while increasing the profile of global food security issues throughout the University. From 1972 to 2013, Phil was an international affairs specialist and Assistant Director with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) where he directed numerous reviews of US international food assistance, Global Food Security Programs, and UN operations. His congressionally mandated reviews and investigations resulted in significant management reforms on the national security implications of global food aid and food security issues in Sub-Saharan Africa, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, Central America, and Russia. He also served as a senior member of the Senate Permanent Investigations Subcommittee Task Force on the Iraq Oil-for-Food Scandal. He was elected to the Falls Church, Va. City Council in 1990 as a non-partisan candidate and served from 1992-1994 as Vice Mayor. He earned his bachelor's and two-year master's degree in international affairs from California State University in Sacramento. A U.S. Navy veteran, Thomas served from 1963 to 1965 as a Chaplain's assistant at the US Naval Station in Annapolis and aboard the USS Shenandoah home ported in Norfolk, Va. | International Food Assistance, Food Security, and National Security (Speaker: Phil Thomas) Description: Food Insecurity is one of the most critical problems confronting the global community in the Twenty-First Century. Despite numerous national and international efforts over the past 60 years, its elimination remains elusive due to a complex array of environmental and human factors. Despite the existence an adequate supply of food to feed the global population at this time, the absence of effective governance and political will at a national and global level is perhaps the most significant obstacle to achieving resilient, sustainable, and environmentally appropriate food security for the entire global population. Today over 800 million people are chronically malnourished while millions more are suffering from acute malnutrition. A growing number of national conflicts, COVID-19, and an escalating climate crisis have created a perfect storm and placed global food insecurity at a crucial tipping point. Hunger is number one on the list of global society's top 10 health risks. It kills more people than AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis combined. Missing out on essential nutrients in 1000 days from conception to a child's second birthday translates into irreversible damage to cognitive and physical development. The intensifying global food security crisis significantly affects the poor, elderly, racial minorities, and small farmers throughout the globe who are on the verge of starvation daily. Elimination of global hunger demands improving national and global governance by making it more inclusive, participatory, transparent, and accountable. Dedicated leadership, multi-institution and grass roots commitment, and broad based political will are crucial to eliminating global hunger and ultimately achieving the UN goal of zero hunger in our lifetime. In the final analysis, without food security there is no national security. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen ; Categories: Climate Change/Environment; Conflict Resolution; Government/Politics; Leadership/Career Development; Nonprofit Organizations/Charities; Nutrition; Public Policy/Law; |
| Susan (Susie) Tomasovic | No image | Susan (Susie) Tomasovic is a Visiting Instructor in the Communication Department. Her BS is in Communication & Theatre Arts from the University of Missouri – Columbia, an MA in Communication from George Mason University, and a post graduate certificate in performance from drama school, (University of London, London, England). Professor Tomasovic teaches presentation and performance intensive courses in Business and Professional Communication, Oral Interpretation, Performance for Communication Arts, Radio/Television Broadcasting, and Public Speaking. She has a background in film, radio, television, and theater. Some of her professional memberships include, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, National Communication Assn, and the Virginia Assn of Communication Arts & Sciences (VACAS). Professor T. is the Internship Coordinator for the George Mason University Communication Department. Other courses taught are Rhetorical Criticism, Small Group Communication, Interviewing, and Persuasion. In addition, Professor T. is the advisor for the George Mason University Chapter of the National Communication Honor Society, Lambda Pi Eta. She is also VACAS Immediate Past President and Archivist. | Back to Basics: Strengthening Speaking Skills for a Professional Performance (Speaker: Susie Tomasovic) Description: Whether one is in the boardroom or the classroom, delivery skills are essential to get the message across to an audience. The goal is to instill key principles of delivery and organization to effectively develop and polish public communication in a business environment, whether an interview, a committee report, or networking. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Communication; Human Resource Management/Personnel; Leadership/Career Development; Impact Performance in a Media World (Speaker: Susie Tomasovic) Description: Whether announcing on the radio, delivering television news, or acting in a film or documentary, the human voice and body are your tools to inform and persuade in broadcast performance. Techniques are introduced and skills practiced regarding how to improve vocal (paralanguage) and physical (nonverbal) delivery elements to more effectively communicate messages in a performance setting. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Arts; Communication; Education/Teaching; Boosting Teacher Effectiveness through Performance (Speaker: Susie Tomasovic) Description: Given the challenges facing public education today, using enhanced performance skills in the classroom may produce students who exhibit better attention, interest, and response. Teacher enthusiasm is a pedagogical necessity, and the communicative style of a teacher can have an affect on the degree to which students learn. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD, Screen; Categories: Arts; Communication; Education/Teaching; Teacher Appreciation Week (May); |
| Mohan Venigalla | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Venigalla-Mohan.jpg | Mohan Venigalla specializes in transportation systems analysis and planning with an emphasis on sustainable transportation. His early career (for 12 years) was primarily in engineering consulting and research. He has been engaged in his present teaching and academic research career since 2000. Venigalla’s expertise includes modeling of transportation systems encompassing travel behavior analysis, travel demand modeling, traffic simulation, network analysis, and intelligent transportation systems. His current and prior works covered a range of topics on transportation planning, air quality, transit-oriented developments, shared mobility, and urban freight planning. His skill set includes traditional quantitative and statistical methods, geographic information systems, data mining, and big data analytics. He has developed and applied numerous computer models for solving various transportation planning and traffic engineering problems. Venigalla’s research on air quality received national acclaim and was recognized by the National Academy of Sciences with the prestigious Pyke Johnson Award. He was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and is a registered professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia. | Micromobility (Speaker: Mohan Venigalla) Description: The role of bikeshare and e-scooters in shaping urban mobility. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Transportation; Transportation Planning (Speaker: Mohan Venigalla) Description: A discussion on issues related to short- and long-term transportation planning and highway capacity. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Transportation; Transportation and Air Quality (Speaker: Mohan Venigalla) Description: The role of transportation on regional air quality, mitigation and policy implications. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Public Policy/Law; Transportation; Washington Metropolitan Regional Issues; |
| Colleen Vesely | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Veseley-Colleen-2023.jpg | Colleen K. Vesely, Ph.D. is an associate professor and Graduate Coordinator of the Early Childhood Education program in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. Her work examines the experiences of diverse, marginalized and minoritized young children and their families. Dr. Vesely's scholarship also focuses on family engagement, particularly among families from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, linguistic, and ability backgrounds. Dr. Vesely’s most recent work uses a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to understand immigrant families’ experiences accessing early care and education, while negotiating parenthood in the US, such that attuned, aligned, and responsive systems for family partnership can be developed. A second area of work is focused on anti-racism and equity in education. In collaboration with colleagues and students in CEHD, Dr. Vesely developed a course equity audit tool for university instructors to examine anti-racism opportunities in their individual courses. Dr. Vesely also contributed to creating tools to examine college-level equity data specific to race and gender. Also, Dr. Vesely co-leads work with ECE faculty members focused on developing preservice teachers' knowledge, skills, and abilities for implementing antiracist pedagogy in their early childhood classrooms. A third area of work, funded by the Center for the Advancement of Well-being at George Mason University is focused on early childhood education teachers’ psychological and financial well-being, and how this shapes teachers’ interactions with young children. Dr. Vesely’s work is published in Early Childhood Education Journal, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, Journal of Early Childhod Teacher Education, Journal of Family Theory & Review, and Journal of Marriage and Family. Her work has been funded by Fairfax County Office for Children, Bruhn Morris Family Foundation, Office for Child Care in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a Child Care Scholar, and the Bernard van Leer Foundation. Dr. Vesely teaches courses focused on family engagement in early care and education, family processes and dynamics, as well as research methods. Dr. Vesely is the creator of the Raising Unicorns website (www.raisingunicorns.org) focused on raising gender expansive children in a gender binary world. Raising Unicorns provides resources for parents, teachers, and caregivers to support and affirm gender expansive children. Dr. Vesely received her PhD in Family Science from the University of Maryland- College Park in 2011. | Transgender and Gender Expansive Children in Families and Schools (Speaker: Colleen Vesely) Description: This topic focuses on the experiences of trans and gender expansive children (children who identify or express their gender outside of the male/female gender binary) and offers strategies for adults (parents, teachers, couches) who work with gender expansive children to ensure affirming care. Resources for additional information and supports will be offered. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Education/Teaching; Nonprofit Organizations/Charities; Immigrant Families (Speaker: Colleen Vesely) Description: This topic focuses on immigration trends in the US and the experiences of immigrant families, especially in terms of parenting and education. Strategies for understanding and working with immigrant families across a number of sectors will be offered. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Education/Teaching; Hispanic Heritage Month (September/October); Public Policy/Law; Sustainable and Accountable Family Engagement in Education (Speaker: Colleen Vesely) Description: This topic focuses on strengths-based family engagement for equity in education. First, the six principles of family engagement and their connection with equitable outcomes will be discussed. Second, how family engagement can be considered at individual levels of accountability and responsibility (i.e., individual teachers, individual schools), as well as at systems-level (i.e., school systems, local government, etc.). Third, strategies and examples for transforming individual- and systems-level family engagement will be offered. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector; Categories: Childhood Development/Parenting; Education/Teaching; Leadership/Career Development; Teacher Appreciation Week (May); |
| Jennifer N. Victor | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Jennifer-Victor-Reformat.jpg | Jennifer Nicoll Victor is Associate Professor of Political Science at George Mason University’s Schar School Policy and Government. She studies the U.S. Congress, legislative organization and behavior, social network methods, political parties, campaign finance, and interest groups and lobbying. Her current book project explores the conditions for bipartisan cooperation among members of Congress. She is the co-editor of the Oxford Handbook of Political Networks (2017). She is the co-author (with Nils Ringe) of Bridging the Information Gap: Legislative Member Organizations in the United States and the European Union (U. Michigan Press 2013). Professor Victor has published research in the American Journal of Political Science, the British Journal of Political Science, American Politics Research, Party Politics, Interest Groups & Advocacy, P.S.: Political Science and Politics, and elsewhere. She was awarded the George Mason University Teaching Excellence Award in 2019. She is a co-founding contributor to the political science blog “Mischiefs of Faction,”, and has written for the New York Times, Time Magazine, Politico, Gen by Medium, The Conversation, OUP Blog, LSE US Politics blog. She serves on the Board of Directors of the non-partisan, non-profit Center for Responsive Politics, and is a past-president of the National Capital Area Political Science Association. | How Did Face Masks Become a Partisan Symbol? (And Other Questions You Didn’t Learn in School) (Speaker: Jennifer Victor) Description: In this brief lecture, I draw on political science findings about political parties, partisan identity, human psychology, and media to help explain everyday political events in the context of political science. The lecture begins with a summary of cutting edge social science results that help explain the current state of affairs in American politics. Then I apply these findings to specific events, such as: how did wearing a face mask to protect against coronavirus become a political statement? The event allows for audience members to pose their own questions about politics and current events and ask me to provide social science context "on the spot." Discussions are aimed at being non-partisan, scientifically informed, and focused on explanation over advocacy of any kind. AV Requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Government/Politics; Elections and Voting in America (Speaker: Jennifer Victor) Description: This presentation describes the current state of affairs in U.S. elections, and includes three sections. First, drawing on sights from leading political theorists, I dispel myths about what democracy is, why it's valuable, and the role that voting and elections play in democratic states. Second, we take a look at the practice of voting. why do people choose to vote, or not? What purpose does voting serve? How can ensure integrity and security in election administration, while also guaranteeing broad suffrage protections? How vulnerable are U.S. voting practices to delegitimizing threats? Finally, what are the most effective actions citizens can take to protect their voting rights and ensure free and fair elections? The lecture is non-partisan and based on state of the art social scientific literature elections and voting. AV Requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Election Month (November); Government/Politics; The State of U.S. Democracy (Speaker: Jennifer Victor) Description: This presentation describes the state of democracy in contemporary American politics, through the lens of political science. Drawing on history, political philosophy, social psychology, and economic decision calculus, the presentation aims to achieve three goals. First, I identify the root causes of partisan polarization in the United States today, and dispel a number of myths about where it comes from. Second, I apply what science has learned from other successful and failed democracies around the globe and through history to assess the health of U.S. democratic institutions. Third, I use the scientific literature to talk about political reforms--those that might be helpful and those that might not--and what citizens can do to best protect American freedoms and rights. The presentation is non-partisan. AV Requirements: Internet Access, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Election Month (November); Government/Politics; |
| John Villanueva | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/John-Villanueva.jpeg | John Villanueva is the chief strategy and revenue officer at ArmorText. He also chairs the ArmorText board of outside advisors. ArmorText Secure Teams is a proprietary business communication platform built to serve the national security, defense, and critical infrastructure communities. Previously, John served as the director for executive education seminars and national security studies at Williamson College; senior defense policy and technology advisor to the Department of Defense; senior defense strategist for crisis management and continuity of government for the Office of the Secretary of Defense; CEO for a foreign affairs and national security consultancy that provided advice and consultation to the United States intelligence community and its NATO allies, and the chief intelligence advisor for worldwide psychological operations. John is also a highly decorated U.S. Army combat veteran, having earned 36 awards and citations throughout his 21-year career. In addition, John sits on the advisory boards of several companies and lectures on Criminology, Law, and Society at George Mason University. | Failure of Leadership (Speaker: John Villanueva) Description: Lesson learned in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. A soldier's analysis of the justifications, mistakes, miscalculations, and combat operations that characterized America's longest wars. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Government/Politics; Leadership/Career Development; Public Policy/Law; The Threat to American Democracy and Civil Society: Understanding Influence Operations, Violent Extremism, and the Fractures Spawned by Political Partisanship (Speaker: John Villanueva) Description: On January 6, 2021, the United States Capitol was attacked by a violent mob in an attempt to disrupt an electoral vote count by a joint session of congress. The Capitol almost fell under the weight of this insurrection. Americans - stunned and frozen in front of their televisions and mobile devices - witnessed a failed coup attempt by right-wing extremists feasting on an endless buffet of foreign and domestic influence operations, toxic political partisanship, and revisionist history. How did so many people become radicalized? How did social media contribute to the radicalization process? What does this mean for the future of America? How do we recover from this attack on democracy? How do we bridge our differences? How do we protect future generations against the poisoning of the mind? These are the questions addressed in this presentation that includes a Q&A session. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: American Culture; Crime/Violence; Cultural/Social/World Issues; Government/Politics; The Restoration of Character: A Primer for Leaders (Speaker: John Villanueva) Description: Politicians, police, and clergypersons are but a few of the professions wrought with scandal and corruption today. Everywhere we look, institutions and leaders are plunging into the abyss. Why? What we’re witnessing is the residue of moral and ethical decay and cowardice. It’s easy to think that things are too far gone to right the ship, but the reality is that we--especially those of us privileged enough to be called leaders--have the power to influence people, organizations, and society if we start with an inside out approach. The restoration of character is a catalyst for good in a world that’s lost its way. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board, and Markers; Categories: Ethics; Leadership/Career Development; Religion; The Great Facade: How Surveillance Capitalism Almost Toppled the World’s Greatest Democracy and the European Union (Speaker: John Villanueva) Description: We’ve all witnessed the changes in public and personal discourse and civility since the 2016 presidential election. Unfortunately, it seems as if the country is plunging into a downward spiral, and the death of reason is inevitable. How did we get here? Together, we will examine the intersections and impacts of foreign and domestic influence operations, conspiracy theories, political malpractice, and social media on the nation’s mental health and well-being. We will also discuss what can and should be done to shield the nation from the harmful effects of misinformation, disinformation, and revisionist history. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board, and Markers; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Government/Politics; Public Policy/Law; Criminal Justice Reform: Understanding the Root of the Problem and the Cost of the Cure (Speaker: John Villanueva) Description: How did the police - sworn to protect and serve their communities - come to be seen as an occupying force by disadvantaged communities throughout America? Why have they lost the faith and confidence of the communities they serve? What needs to be done to turn the tide and restore the profession of policing and the trust of the communities they serve? These are the questions that will be addressed factually, without bias, and with an eye on elevating the profession and serving the community. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board, and Markers; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Law Enforcement; Public Policy/Law; |
| Steven Weinberger | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Steven-Weinberger-Reformat.jpg | Steven H. Weinberger is an Emeritus Professor of Linguistics from the department of English at George Mason University. He earned his PhD in linguistics in 1988 from the University of Washington, and has taught at George Mason University since 1989. He teaches graduate and undergraduate level courses in phonetics, phonology, second language acquisition, and psycholinguistics. His principle research deals with language sound systems, adult second language learning, and foreign accents. He has published extensively and has given numerous papers on second language pronunciation and linguistic theory. | Accented English: The Bias and the Science (Speaker: Steven Weinberger) Description: A discussion on why and how adults typically have a foreign accent in their speech when they learn a new language after childhood, how native listeners judge this accent, and the ways in which the non-natives try to lose the accent. AV Requirements: Internet, LCD, Screen; Categories: Communication; Alien Phonology: Science or Fiction? (Speaker: Steven Weinberger) Description: How do science fiction languages differ from real human language? What is it that makes the aliens on Star Trek sound alien? AV Requirements: LCD, Screen; Categories: Communication; |
| Dr. Christina Wellner | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/IMG_6367-1-scaled.jpg | Dr. Christina Wellner was voted as one of the Top Chiropractors in the Northern Virginia region and has been a professor at George Mason University in the Biology department teaching anatomy and physiology lab to future nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. She has owned and operated several successful chiropractic and integrative clinics, has treated over 50,000 patients from age 99 to four days old, has mentored countless chiropractic doctors and students, has coached young business owners into opening their own businesses, has spoken at events throughout the Northern Virginia area about health, business and leadership, and is a devoted wife and mother to two small boys. | From Idea to Impact: Navigating the Entrepreneurial Journey (Speaker: Christina Wellner) Description: In today's fast-paced world, entrepreneurship has emerged as a beacon of opportunity, offering a pathway for innovative thinkers to create meaningful change and shape the future. For college students brimming with ambition and creativity, the entrepreneurial journey beckons with promise and possibility. But amidst the excitement lies a maze of challenges, uncertainties, and tough decisions. How does one transform a bold idea into a thriving venture? What are the essential skills and mindsets needed to succeed in the competitive landscape of entrepreneurship? And perhaps most importantly, how can aspiring entrepreneurs navigate the highs and lows of the journey while staying true to their vision? In this dynamic and engaging talk, we dive deep into the heart of entrepreneurship, exploring the key principles, strategies, and insights that can turn dreams into reality. Drawing from real-world experiences and cutting-edge research, we uncover the secrets to entrepreneurial success and illuminate the path forward for aspiring changemakers. From identifying market opportunities to crafting compelling business plans, from building resilient teams to navigating the funding landscape, this talk equips college students with the tools and mindset needed to thrive as entrepreneurs. Whether you're a budding innovator with a passion for disruption or simply curious about the world of startups, join us as we embark on an inspiring journey from idea to impact. AV Requirements: Internet Access, laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Business/Finance; Communication; Entrepreneurship; Leadership/Career Development; |
| Philip Wilkerson | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/PWilkerson.png | Philip Wilkerson III. Philip has nearly 10 years of experience in higher education, including financial aid and admissions in addition to career counseling. Philip attended James Madison University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History in May 2008, and began his journey into Higher Education in 2009. While in graduate school obtaining his Master’s in Education with a concentration in counseling from George Mason University, Philip took a career counseling course. It was there that he fell in love with professional development and self-discovery through one’s own professional path. To further strengthen his passion for career counseling, Philip conducted an internship at George Mason Career Services. After graduation Philip worked at Northern Virginia Community College’s Office of Financial Aid as a Financial Aid Counselor, George Washington University as a Career Coach, and Virginia Commonwealth University as a Transfer Admissions Counselor for the Northern Virginia Region. Currently, Philip is an Employer Engagement Consultant at George Mason University Career Services. He oversees all industries that fall under the Creative Industries umbrella. Examples of this at Mason include Media, Performing and Visual Arts, Entertainment, Journalism, Public Relations, and Graphic Design. This role serves both student and employer stakeholders, meaning Philip both collaborates with employers to make them aware of the talented students at Mason through invitations to visit campus for fairs, workshops, and unique events and meets with students to market their creative skills through personal branding (resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, etc.). One major project Philip oversees is an annual industry week for the Creative Arts. During this week, he coordinates and manages a series of workshops and panels, highlighted by the Arts in the Real World Fair held in conjunction with the College of Visual and Performing Arts. Philip embraces social media engagement by connecting with students and employers via twitter (@PhilipW_GMU) and through an industry specific LinkedIn group page he moderates for students at Mason. Philip is married to Maggie Wilkerson, a school social worker for Fairfax County Public Schools and has two young children (Bennett, 3 years old and Miles 8 months old). In his spare time, Philip is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity Inc. and is affiliated with the Theta Rho Lambda Chapter and host of his own podcast Positive Philter, which discusses such topics as career development, mental health, family, relationships, and positive reframing of everyday situations. | Developing Your Personal Brand and Using LinkedIn to Network with Others (Speaker: Philip Wilkerson) Description: How you conduct yourself online is crucial in expanding your digital network and connecting you to far and vast opportunities. As professionals, we are leaders within our communities, and our work in service is marketable to employers. In this session, you will learn how to build your brand online through LinkedIn and techniques to help you translate your experiences with the world. AV Requirements: Laptop, projector, screen; Categories: Communication; Leadership/Career Development; Mentorship is Essential to Professional and Personal Growth (Speaker: Philip Wilkerson) Description: This presentation will include:
AV Requirements: None; Categories: Leadership/Career Development; A Strong Leader is a Kind Leader (Speaker: Philip Wilkerson) Description: "Clear is Kind”-Brene Brown. When we look at leaders, we envision strong, confident and capable people who lead others but how often do we examine the impact of kindness on a person’s leadership capabilities? In the presentation we will discuss the impact kindness has on a person who is trying to motivate and inspire others to reach their full potential. AV Requirements: Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen; Categories: Health/Wellness; Leadership/Career Development; Different Styles of Leadership (Speaker: Philip Wilkerson) Description: Leadership comes in all different types of forms. During this presentation, we will discuss the different types of leadership and how to be an effective leader based on your style. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers; Categories: Communication; Education/Teaching; Leadership/Career Development; Power of Visualization for Long-Term Goal-Setting (Speaker: Philip Wilkerson) Description: Science has proven that visualization will increase the likelihood of achieving your long term goals. During this presentation, we will explore your long-term goals and the micro-steps necessary to complete them. AV Requirements: Internet Access, Laptop, LCD Projector, Screen, White Board and Markers, TV and VCR; Categories: Communication; Education/Teaching; Leadership/Career Development; |
| Patrice Winter | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Patrice-Winter.jpg | Dr. Patrice Winter, PT, DPT, MHA, FAAOMPT, is a Professor at George Mason University in the Department of Global and Community Health where she teaches health related curriculum with emphasis in public health, disease, healthy living and aging well. She is Practicum Coordinator for the Masters of Public Health program placing students regionally as well as internationally. She was the Life Planning/Eldercare Coordinator at Mason from 2007-2014. She continues to be actively involved in health promotion programs across the university. Dr. Winter practiced physical therapy for over 35 years and was a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association for almost twenty years. | Joint Health: You Rest, You Rust (Speaker: Patrice Winter) Description: Our bodies are designed for movement. Our bodies begin aging as soon as we stop growing in our early 20s. Learn about joints. What is normal, what is not? How can we assist joint health through movement, posture and exercise? We will begin from where you are now physically. If you have limited motion in a joint(s), need an assistive device or have no physical complaints and want to stay that way, this talk is for you. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Aging; Older Americans Month (May); Senior Citizen's Day (August); Healthy Desk Mechanics: Get Fit While You Sit (Speaker: Patrice Winter) Description: We spend so much of our life in a seated position (deskwork, driving a car, entertainment [movies, TV, sporting events]). Neck and back pain is rampant in the US. Our bodies are designed for movement. This session will address stretches, exercise and posture tips to avoid becoming a statistic. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Aging; Safety; Balance: Shuffle Now, Fall Later (Speaker: Patrice Winter) Description: Have you fallen twice in the past year? You could be a ‘fall risk’. Falling is not something that just ‘old people’ do. Balance often needs to be worked with and improved on throughout this journey called life. The older we get the harder we fall. If you are over 20, this session has your name on it. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Aging; Older Americans Month (May); Senior Citizen's Day (August); Aging Well (Speaker: Patrice Winter) Description: Aging well is not a spectator sport. Be an active participant in your healthy future. We will address the strategies on how to do this with flare. Wear comfortable shoes and clothes you can move freely in. AV Requirements: None; Categories: Aging; Older Americans Month (May); Senior Citizen's Day (August); Aging in Place: Do Not Blame the House (Speaker: Patrice Winter) Description: Easy to do modifications to more complex suggestions will be addressed for better aging in place. We will also address how to work with changes in sight, balance and physical abilities that may come with aging and how you can make your house work for you AV Requirements: None; Categories: Aging; Older Americans Month (May); Senior Citizen's Day (August); |
| James Witte | https://masonspeakers.gmu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Dr-James-Witte_2017.jpg | James Witte is a Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and Director of the Institute for Immigration Research (IIR). Witte, who earned his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1991, has been a professor at Clemson University and Northwestern University. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Carolina Population Center and a lecturer in sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Witte has written numerous articles that have appeared in journals such as The European Sociological Review, Population and Development Review, The Russell Sage Foundation Journal, and Sociological Methods and Research. He has also published three books, Labor Force Integration and Marital Choice, the Internet and Social Inequality and The Normal Bar. The Normal Bar, co-authored with Chrisanna Northrup and Pepper Schwartz, was released in 2013 and made the New York Times bestseller list. Dr. Witte came to Mason in the fall of 2009. Major projects have included the privately funded Institute for Immigration Research, the National Science Foundation funded Digital Archive Project, and the University Partnership with the University of Karachi funded by the U.S. State Department, and attitudes of and toward immigrants in seven U.S. metro areas. | U.S. Immigration Today: Data and Policy (Speaker: James Witte) Description: Immigration is among the most significant and salient issues in America today. As Director of Mason's Institute for Immigration Research (IIR), Dr. Witte provides audiences with a view on immigrants and immigration in line with the IIR's mission: To produce valid, reliable, and objective multidisciplinary research on immigrants and immigration to the United States and to disseminate this information through peer-reviewed academic journals, as well as in print and digital formats that make this research easily accessible to policy-makers, the media, the business community, and the general public. AV Requirements: ; Categories: Cultural/Social/World Issues; Government/Politics; |
