The Office of Research and Economic Development partners with the Office of the Chancellor and the Research Council, in collaboration with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, to sponsor the Nebraska Lectures: the Chancellor’s Distinguished Speaker Series. Typically offered once a semester, the Nebraska Lectures bring together the university community with the greater community in Lincoln and beyond to celebrate the intellectual life of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln by showcasing the faculty’s excellence in research and creative activity.

The topics of these free lectures reflect the diversity of faculty accomplishments in the arts, humanities, social sciences and physical sciences. For more than 10 years, this forum has crossed academic boundaries to build morale and a sense of common identity, allowing some of the great minds on the UNL faculty to share notable discoveries in a non-technical format, fostering a collective passion for education and research, and spurring the imaginations of those who share the need to know more. Read more about how lecturers are selected at the Research Council website.

For 2019, as part of the university’s 150th anniversary celebration, the lecture series is expanding to a year-long, 12-talk format. The expanded format is made possible with support from Humanities Nebraska and the National Endowment for the Humanities Chairman’s Statehood Grants Initiative.

Mike Babcock, author and Hail Varsity editor, will present the August Nebraska Lecture, “History of Football at Nebraska.” The event will be Aug. 24 at 1 p.m. at the Nebraska State Fair’s Raising Nebraska Pavilion, 501 E. Fonner Park Road, Suite 100, Grand Island, Nebraska.

Daniel Claes, department chair and professor of physics and astronomy, will present the September Nebraska Lecture, “Physics at Nebraska: DeWitt Bristol Brace and Einstein.” The event will be Sept. 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Wick Alumni Center, 1520 R Street.