Life of the Mind

Technology. War. Identity.

These are the themes of the inaugural year of the “Life of the Mind” lecture series.

Launched in October 2011 by the Office of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, the Chair of the Faculty, and the University of Cincinnati Libraries, “Life of the Mind” features interdisciplinary conversations with UC faculty around a one-word theme. Each quarter, and later each semester, there will be two “Life of the Mind” sessions with three “thought provocateurs” contributing to each session. The “thought provocateurs” each provide a 15-minute talk followed by audience Q&A. “Life of the Mind” is open to the public and attracts a broad audience including UC students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as people from the community.

Faculty members from throughout the University have participated thus far as “thought provocateurs.” The first session, which had as its theme “Technology,” featured: John McEvoy, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences; Christy K. Holland, College of Medicine; Carlo Montemagno, College of Engineering and Applied Science; Peter DePietro, College-Conservatory of Music; Ming Tang, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning; and Howard E. Jackson, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

The second theme, on the topic of “War,” included: Stanley J. Corkin, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences; Joel Hoffman, College-Conservatory of Music; Bert Lockwood, College of Law; Jacob Katz Cogan, College of Law; Sigrun Haude, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences; and Jay Johannigman, College of Medicine.

In Spring Quarter 2012, a group of distinguished faculty members will address the theme of “Identity” from unique and diverse perspectives. The first session, scheduled for Tuesday, April 10 from 3:30-5pm in the Russell C. Myers Alumni Center, will include: Stefan Fiol, College-Conservatory of Music; Laura Dudley Jenkins, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences; and Gregory H. Williams, President of UC. The second session is scheduled for the same time and location on Tuesday, May 8, and will feature: Elaine Hollensbe, College of Business; Amy C. Lind, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences; and Jeffrey M. Timberlake, McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

A Steering Committee chooses the themes and “thought provacateurs” for the “Life of the Mind” sessions. Members of the committee past and present are: Co-Chair: Richard J. Harknett, chair of the University Faculty; Co-Chair; Victoria A. Montavon, dean and university librarian; John Drury, professor of English and comparative literature; Ronald Millard, professor of pharmacology and biophysics; Barbara N. Ramusack, Taft professor emerita of history; Robert Richardson, Taft professor of philosophy, and Makram Suidan, professor of engineering.

More information about “Life of the Mind,” including videos of past sessions, is available online at
www.libraries.uc.edu/lifeofthemind/.

Source Index