Designed to create a campus-wide conversation, the Helen and Jeff Herbert Family University Lecture Series gives first-year students an opportunity to interact with leading members of our faculty—scholars, scientists, and civic leaders who are nationally and internationally renowned. All students, faculty, alumni, staff and community guests are invited, but the events will be aimed at entering first-year students. The Helen and Jeff Herbert Family University Lecture Series is generously brought to UT Austin by the Helen and Jeff Herbert family.
2008 Lectures
Sept. 16, 2008
Why Males Die Without Mating,
and What You Can Do About It
Michael Ryan, Integrative Biology
Response by Wendy Domjan, Psychology
Because of fundamental differences in their reproductive biology, females are usually able to obtain mates while most males of a species die without having sex. In many species males evolve elaborate and expensive traits to convince females to mate with them. Why? What are the consequences? And what about human mate choice?
Sept. 25, 2008
The Great Debate: Fight to the (Political) Death
Daniel Bonevac, Philosophy
James Galbraith, Gov/Business Relations, LBJ School
Betty Sue Flowers, Director of the LBJ Library and Museum
Two top professors, a liberal and a conservative, go head to head tackling student’s questions about issues most important to young voters. Dr. Flowers will moderate, fielding questions from our First-year Interest Groups.
Oct. 1, 2008
Dream Screens: Can Movies Heal a Fractured World?
Mia Carter, English
It is said that cinema is a universal language, but can movies simultaneously entertain and instruct? Carter will explore cinema’s possibilities: its ability to view other worlds, its potential to expand one’s understanding of the human condition and, at the farthest limit of possibility, the dream of communion among all people.