Four of Fresno State’s most inspirational professors will share their ideas with the public during the third annual Fresno State Talks lecture series in February.
The free, public lectures will be Feb. 12, 19 and 26 in the Satellite Student Union on campus. Each event starts with a reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the presentation at 7 p.m.
The series premieres Thursday, Feb. 12 with award-winning documentary filmmaker and professor of media production Jes Therkelsen. His presentation, “The stories we weave, the stories we believe and the stories we leave behind,” will explore how humans use narrative structure to share and interpret life’s experiences. In his talk, Therkelsen will draw from his international experiences as a filmmaker, photographer, educator, scientist and activist.
On Feb. 19, Drs. Ignacio and Susana Hernández will present “Degrees of Connection: Familia, Educación and Success.” The professors in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development will share their personal stories of how perceived deficits ultimately served as assets.
The series concludes with a talk by Dr. Sergio La Porta. The Harvard-educated professor of Armenian studies will present “Who Cares? Genocide, Historical Memory and Moral Responsibility” on Feb. 26. This talk coincides with the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, in which about 1.5 million Armenians were killed. La Porta will explore how the event shaped world civilization today.
The speakers were nominated by students and selected by a student-run committee. Kari Ball, a senior studying agricultural business and advertising, has been involved with the project since it launched in 2012.
“It is exciting to see the growth of student and community involvement in Fresno State Talks over the years. Every lecture has been so entertaining and engaging, and I can’t wait to see what this year’s speakers have in store for us.”
Breanne Scogin, coordinator for leadership programs at Fresno State, describes Fresno State Talks as one of the highlights of the year. “The Talks give students the opportunity to recognize outstanding faculty; and gives the campus and Fresno community the chance to learn more about their disciplines in a unique format.”
For more information, contact the Fresno State Talks committee at getinvolved@csufresno.edu, the Student Involvement Center at 559.278.2741 or www.fresnostate.edu/fstalks for abstracts for each talk.
