UAA College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences is a welcoming and diverse academic community, providing a world-class, Alaska-rooted education that prepares students for the challenges of today and tomorrow through educational excellence, transformative research, creative expression, and community engagement.

CAS Community Lecture Series

“The Art and Science of Our Nation”

Event Info: Get your subscription now and guarantee your seat for six remarkable lectures throughout the year. This season’s theme, The Art and Science of Our Nation, explores the ideas, discoveries, stories, and challenges that continue to shape the American experience. Join us for an inspiring season of thought-provoking discussions with internationally recognized historians, scientists, journalists, explorers, educators, and public thinkers.

Kahlil Greene – Thursday, September 10, 2026 Wendy Williamson Auditorium

Lecture Title: “Be the Change with Kahlil Greene”

Event Info: Greene will demonstrate how effective leadership and proactive advocacy online can drive social change, encouraging people to kickstart their own activism using the most effective strategies of the 21st century.

Jon Meacham – Wednesday, October 7, 2026 Atwood Concert Hall (ACPA)

Lecture Title: “The Art of Leadership: Lessons from the American Presidency”

Event Info: Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham explores what 21st-century leaders in different fields of endeavor can learn from the greatest moments of our common past. This non-partisan presentation features lessons ranging from Jefferson's pragmatism and JFK's capacity to recover from his own mistakes to the management of conflicting egos as shown by Reagan and FDR and how George HW Bush dealt with the end of his Presidency. Meacham discusses how history can inform the decisions all of us make every day in positions that demand creative and innovative solutions.

Willie Hensley – Thursday, November 5, 2026 UAA Recital Hall

Lecture Title: “Alaska - A Story Still Being Written with Willie Hensley”

Event Info: From a traditional Iñupiaq childhood in northwest Alaska to the halls of the Alaska Legislature and the negotiations that led to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Willie Hensley has witnessed (and helped shape) one of the most remarkable periods of change in Alaska's history.

In this deeply personal presentation, Hensley reflects on the people, cultures, events, and decisions that have shaped modern Alaska. Through stories drawn from his own extraordinary life, he explores the enduring strength of Alaska Native traditions, the impact of statehood and resource development, and the opportunities and challenges facing the state's future. More than a history lesson, this is an invitation to experience Alaska through the eyes of one of its most respected leaders and storytellers.

Drs. Anne Zink and Jay Butler – Thursday, February 4, 2027 UAA Recital Hall

Lecture title: "The Art of Health and the Science of Trust "

Event Info: Health is often described as a science, and trust as something more human. But improving health requires both: the science that guides decisions and the relationships that help people understand and act on them.

Join Dr. Jay Butler and Dr. Anne Zink for a thoughtful, informative – and hopefully funny – fireside chat exploring health, public health, communication, and trust. Drawing on their experiences in Alaska and beyond, they'll reflect on how data informs decisions, how stories give data meaning, and why trust shapes whether science is heard. Together, they'll explore lessons from the past, the challenges ahead, and what we can do to improve the health and well-being of Alaska. Audience participation will be encouraged, with time for questions and discussion

Kathryn Sullivan – Thursday, March 4, 2027 UAA Recital Hall

Lecture title: “The New Space Age with Kathryn Sullivan”

Event Info: SpaceX gets most of the headlines, but it is far from the only driving force in the new space age that's unfolding around us. Who are they key players? How is the ascendence of commercial space changing the equation? Is another space race really underway? Is lunar mining a real prospect or a sci-fi fantasy?

Mary Louise Kelly – Thursday, April 15, 2027 Discovery Theater (ACPA)

Lecture title: “The Art of Journalism: An Evening with Mary Louise Kelly”

Event Info: Kelly will discuss how she goes about covering national security and foreign policy, the state of the media, and how her team is experimenting with new ways to deliver the news. She’ll tell stories from the front lines of reporting from war zones, and touch on the challenges (and advantages!) of being a woman and a mother in that world. And she’ll share how she does her job despite living with profound hearing loss.

About the Lecture Series

The CAS Community Lecture Series brings the world to Alaska and Alaska to the world. The series showcases speakers with a broad and diverse range of expertise and a deep well of insight. We spotlight the remarkable contributions of national figures, as well as Alaska-based scholars, artists, and culture bearers to gain a better understanding of our state, nation, and the world around us. Please join us as we celebrate knowledge, inspire curiosity, and strengthen the bonds that make our community unique.