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Curious People Lecture Series: Information and Speakers

General information about the Curious People Lecture Series events, including an online request form for UNO faculty interested in speaking at future series events.

  • published: 2023/03/06
  • contact: Heike Langdon
  • search keywords:
  • curious people
  • curious minds
  • free series
  • community
curious minds graphic

2022-23 Series Information

The fall 2022 and spring 2023 series dates, speakers, and their topics will be announced on this website page between August and September 2022.


If you are a UNO faculty member interested in speaking at a future Curious People Series event, please contact Heike Langdon at halangdon@unomaha.edu.

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Connecting Curious Minds

Curious People events feature a UNO faculty member who speaks about a topic they are an expert in or have studied in their personal and academic lives.

These events are free and open to the Omaha community to explore and learn about a number of topics, ranging from parasitic brain drain to technology developed to bring missing service members home.


2021-22 Series

Theme: Making a Difference Through Engaged Research and Creative Activity

This year, the Curious People Lecture Series is spotlighting a diverse array of UNO faculty whose research or creative activity is deeply linked to the community. We call this type of work "Engaged Research" or the "Scholarship of Engagement" -- and it's happening all across campus and in our community. Engaged Research plays an important role at Metropolitan Universities like UNO, as it is defined by collaboration, community partnerships, and tangible contributions to the public good.

Many thanks to the UNO Office of Research and Creative Activity for being our campus partner in this year's series.

Date Speaker and Topic Link to Event Type of Event Video
October 27, 2021 Andrea Grover, Ph.D. --- Science For, With, and By the People Learn More Zoom Webinar View Recording
November 17, 2021 Mark Gilbert, Ph.D. --- Seeing the Patient Learn More Zoom Webinar View Recording
February 7, 2022 Laura Alexander, Ph.D. --- Immigration and Nationalism: What Difference Does Religion Make? Learn More Zoom Webinar View Recording
March 3, 2022 Michelle Black, Ph.D. --- Understanding Deterrence and Why Different Perspectives Matter Learn More Zoom Webinar View Recording
March 21, 2022 Derrick Nero, Ed.D. --- Nurturing the Scientist and Engineer In Everyone Learn More Zoom Webinar View Recording
April 12, 2022 Justin Nix, Ph.D. --- Police Use of Deadly Force: What We Know and What We Need to Know Learn More Zoom Webinar View Recording

2020-21 Series

The focus of this Curious People Series related to UNO's Big Ideas.

Date Speaker and Topic UNO Big Idea Link to Event Video
October 29, 2020 Ann Fruhling, Ph.D. --- Enhancing Patient Experiences through Technology Transforming Wellness and Aging Through Business, Informatics and Gerontology Learn More Watch Video
November 17, 2020 Peggy Jones, MFA --- Tell Me a Story! Ted Kooser Center for Health Humanities Learn More Watch Video
February 9, 2021 Chris Moore, Ph.D. --- Elevating Human Potential Through Lifelong Learning, UNO STEM Trail Center STEM TRAIL Center Learn More Watch Video
February 23, 2021 Jorge Zuniga, Ph.D. --- Biomechanical Rehabilitation and Manufacturing: Improving the Quality of Life of Medically Underserved Populations Biomechanical Rehabilitation and Manufacturing Learn More Watch Video
March 9, 2021 Gina Ligon, Ph.D. --- UNO in the Fight and Prevention of Terrorism Security and Intelligence Studies Learn More Watch Video
March 25, 2021 Mark Celinscak, Ph.D. --- Samuel Bak, An Inspirational Journey Samuel Bak Institute Learn More Watch Video

2019-20 Series

Date Speaker and Topic Link to Event
October 29, 2019 Sachin Pawaskar, Ph.D., MBA, MS --- CoRA: Honoring the Fallen, bringing our missing service members home Learn More
January 27, 2020 LaTrina Hall, Ph.D. --- Using the Theory of Synectics to Make Meaningful Connections Learn More
February 20, 2020 Debora Wisneski, Ph.D. --- The Value of Play Across the Lifespan Learn More
CANCELED Elizabeth Chalecki, Ph.D. --- Can We Solve Climate Change With Technology? Learn More
June 16, 2020 Chancellor Jeffrey Gold, MD --- Special Edition: COVID-19 and the Year Ahead Learn More

2018-19 Series

Date Speaker and Topic Link to Event
October 17, 2018 Gina Ligon, Ph.D. --- How Do People Become Homegrown Terrorists? Learn More
November 7, 2018 Jonathan Benjamin Alvarado, Ph.D. --- My Life with the Castros: One Scholar’s Unlikely Journey. Learn More
January 28, 2019 Julie Masters, Ph.D. --- Aging with Intention. Learn More
February 25, 2019 Paul Davis, Ph.D. --- Parasitic Brain Drain: A Look at Toxoplasma, the Most Common Brain Infection in the World. Learn More
March 25, 2019 Sofia Jawed-Wessel, Ph.D., MPH --- Sex: What are we so ashamed of? Learn More
April 24, 2019 B.J. Reed, Ph.D. --- Scotch Whisky: It is a lot more complicated than you think! Learn More

More about the Curious People Lecture Series

The goal of this series is to stimulate curiosity among attendees. Curiosity has many benefits to those who ask questions, including an increase in the ability to learn and retain information, personal growth, openness to new opportunities, and overcoming stereotypes. It also increases problem-solving skills, maintains a sense of wonder that helps with innovation, and creates positive interpersonal interactions.

Curiosity stimulates productive conversations by seeking to understand another’s beliefs and allowing participants to authentically examine their own assumptions and opinions. In order to genuinely explore new ideas, one must be actively listening and open to exchanging knowledge. This free series is intended to foster a community of like-minded searchers, interested in learning more about the hidden areas of expertise at UNO.

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If you are sponsoring a special or public event happening in the CEC or would like to share a news tip or story please contact Robyn Loos via email rloos@unomaha.edu or by phone at 402.554.2173.

Submit a General Inquiry

Unless otherwise clearly stated, any views or opinions expressed as part of events at the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC) should not be viewed as endorsements by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and do not reflect the official position of UNO or the University of Nebraska system. Please also be aware, the responsibility for any changes to events held at the CEC, including cancellation, lie solely with the event organizer and not UNO or the CEC.

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