AI, Holocaust Education, Counterterrorism: Explore These Topics and More through Community Lecture Series
Fall lineup of public lectures begins Sept. 23, with focus on pressing topics of the day
Artificial intelligence (AI), counterterrorism, Truth & Reconciliation, and Holocaust education are among topics to be addressed as part of the 2024/25 Community Speaker Series at Trent University.
Delivered by visiting distinguished scholars and guest speakers, the public lectures are open to the public and are generously made possible through philanthropy. The events are free to attend with advanced registration and take place both on campus and in community settings.
The Fall 2024 lineup is as follows:
The Max Eisen Lecture
The Shattering of the Assumptive World: A Family Story
Join Dr. Peter Suedfeld, a Holocaust survivor and widely published researcher in the field of human resiliency, as he discusses his family’s experiences in the Second World War.
- September 23, 7:00 p.m.
- Market Hall Performing Arts Centre, 140 Charlotte Street, Peterborough
The Jack Matthews Fellowship
North of Nowhere: Song of a Truth & Reconciliation Commissioner
Marie Wilson, a former Truth & Reconciliation Commissioner, will discuss her new book that offers first-hand accounts of Canada’s historic Commission.
- September 24, 7:00 p.m.
- Canadian Canoe Museum, 2077 Ashburnham Drive, Peterborough
The Ashley Fellowship
Beyond Extinction: Art & Visual Culture for Biodiversity & Justice
Subhankar Banerjee, a professor of Art & Ecology and founding director of the Center for Environmental Arts & Humanities at the University of New Mexico, will discuss his important work with arts and environmental conservation.
- October 7, 7:30 p.m.
- Enwayaang Building, Trent University, Peterborough
The Morrison Lecture in International Development
The Rise of Counterterrorism and the Fall of Human Rights
Dr. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin will address how the rise of counterterrorism has impacted human rights, specifically for the world’s most vulnerable individuals and groups.
- October 9, 7:30 p.m.
- The Venue, 286 George Street North, Peterborough
The Groarke Debate
Artificial Intelligence: Friend or Foe?
Sparring over the merits of AI for humanity’s collective future in this inaugural debate are AI experts Dr. Lai-Tze Fan, Canada research chair of Technology and Social Change, and Dr. Makhan Virdi, a leading earth scientist and AI specialist with over a decade of experience at NASA.
- October 10, 5:00 p.m.
- Enwayaang Building, Trent University, Peterborough
The Elaine Stavro Distinguished Visiting Scholar in Theory, Politics & Gender Studies
The Future of Abolition
Professor of Political Science at University of Alberta Dr. Catherine Kellogg will deliver a talk about the theory that slavery is not abolished but still exists in the form of mass incarceration.
- October 30, 6:30 p.m.
- Student Centre, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough
The John Fekete Distinguished Lecture
Cultural Theory, Mimesis, and the Algorithm Dispositif
Hear from Dr. Davide Panagia, professor of Political Science at UCLA, about the intersection of cultural thinking, algorithms, and Cultural Studies.
- November 7, 7:30 p.m.
- Traill College, 300 London Street, Trent University, Peterborough
The David Poole Lecture in Mathematics
Making Mathematics with Needle and Thread
Dr. Gerda de Vries, professor of Mathematics at University of Alberta, examines the mathematical stories behind a wide variety of traditional and contemporary quilts.
- November 13, 5:00 p.m.
- Location TBD
Please visit the Community Speaker Series website for more information and to register for the Fall 2024 events. Trent University will announce a Winter 2025 Community Speaker Series lineup early next year.
About Trent University
One of Canada's top universities, Trent University was founded on the ideal of interactive learning that's personal, purposeful and transformative. Consistently recognized nationally for leadership in teaching, research and student satisfaction, Trent attracts excellent students from across the country and around the world. Here, undergraduate and graduate students connect and collaborate with faculty, staff and their peers through diverse communities that span residential colleges, classrooms, disciplines, hands-on research, co-curricular and community-based activities. Across all disciplines, Trent brings critical, integrative thinking to life every day. Today, Trent's unique approach to personal development through supportive, collaborative community engagement is in more demand than ever. Students lead the way by co-creating experiences rooted in dialogue, diverse perspectives and collaboration. In a learning environment that builds life-long passion for inclusion, leadership and social change, Trent's students, alumni, faculty and staff are engaged global citizens who are catalysts in developing sustainable solutions to complex issues. Trent's Peterborough campus boasts award-winning architecture in a breathtaking natural setting on the banks of the Otonabee River, just 90 minutes from downtown Toronto, while Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area, delivers a distinct mix of programming in the east GTA.
For more information contact:
Jemma Lywood, Communications and Media Relations Officer, Trent University, jemmalywood@trentu.ca
