Evening at Egan 2016 - Fridays this Fall in the Egan Library

The season continues this Friday, September 30 with Dr. Brian Buma’s “Climate Change and the Southeast Alaskan Woods: What's Happening in Our Warmer World.”

Date of Press Release: September 29, 2016

The annual fall lecture series Evening at Egan kicked off on September 16 at the University of Alaska Southeast Auke Lake campus.  Beginning on September 16, the first guest lecturer was Dr. Clive Thomas, political scientist, author and former UAS professor, delivering a presentation based on his new book, Alaska Politics and Public Policy: The Dynamics of Beliefs, Institutions, Personalities, and Power.   Last Friday on September 23, UAS marine biology professor Dr. Jan Straley and her husband, author John Straley, talked about science, history, and reflections about the Pacific Coast involved in their research for the recently released book Ed Ricketts from Cannery Row to Sitka, Alaska published by Shorefast Editions of Juneau.

The season continues this Friday, September 30 with Dr. Brian Buma’s “Climate Change and the Southeast Alaskan Woods:  What's Happening in Our Warmer World.”  This talk presents the state of the science in terms of what’s changing and where things are going in the temperate rainforests of Alaska and the North Pacific. Dr. Buma is an Assistant Professor of Forest Ecosystem Ecology at UAS.

October brings exciting presentations including “Aquaculture in Alaska?  The opportunity of the century!” (Oct. 7) with Kake oyster farm owner Tom Henderson, followed the next week by Dr. Nina Chordas sharing information from her research in Russia, “Reading What Couldn’t Be Written: Literary Scholarship in the Soviet Union, or How Socialist Realism Hijacked the Renaissance” (Oct. 14). 

UAS hosts the Juneau World Affairs Council (JWAC) Forum “Human Migration and Refugees: Peril and Hope” from October 22-24.  As part of this fascinating event with expert guest speakers from all over the world, the October 21 Evening at Egan features Dr. James Hollifield, sharing research from his current project, The Emerging Migration State, which argues that people move across borders for many reasons—economic, social and political—but rights are the key to migration governance, as modern states strive to fulfill three key functions: maintaining security, promoting trade and investment, and regulating migration. All lectures during the forum are free, and a full schedule will be available soon at jwac.org. 

The last Friday in October brings to campus indigenous knowledge expert Dr. Theresa Arevgaq John, Associate Professor in the Department of Cross-cultural Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (Oct. 28).  November will feature “The Mathematician’s Laboratory” with Dr. Chris Hay-Jahans of UAS (Nov. 4), “Negotiating Identity in America” with Dr. Christina Gómez (Nov. 11), and Ernestine Hayes reading from her new book The Tao of Raven (Nov. 18). The Evening at Egan season wraps up with Dr. Heidi Pearson’s presentation “‘Blue Carbon’ Ecosystem Services Provided by Marine Mammals” (Dec. 2). 

All events are scheduled for 7p.m. at the Egan Library and simulcast on UATV Cable Channel 11 or live via Flash streaming video.  The schedule, including presenter photos, is posted at uas.alaska.edu/eganlecture. Here is the line-up moving forward:

September 30 – Dr. Brian Buma, “Climate Change and the Southeast Alaskan Woods:  What's Happening in Our Warmer World”

The temperate rainforest ecosystem is the most carbon-dense forest ecosystem on the planet, and it’s changing rapidly.  The various forests around the world are experiencing new disturbances and a rapidly changing climate.  The North Pacific forests are no exception.  Over 400,000 hectares of yellow cedar have recently died due to a lack of insulating snow, a mortality event which spans 9 degrees of latitude, from southern BC to near Juneau.  However, the forest also appears to be expanding, moving into higher elevation areas and recently de-glaciated locations.  Overall, it appears the forest is growing, but perhaps simplifying.  This talk will present the state of the science in terms of what’s changing and where things are going in the temperate rainforests of Alaska and the North Pacific. Dr. Buma is an Assistant Professor of Forest Ecosystem Ecology at UAS.

October 7 – Tom Henderson, “Aquaculture in Alaska?  The opportunity of the century!”

Seafood consumption continues to rise around the world, fueled by increased aquaculture production.  The US government through NOAA is advocating a 50% increase in US aquaculture production by 2020.  Alaska, with huge marine and freshwater resources, should be a part of the aquaculture economy, which will also help to diversify our States economy.  Mr. Henderson is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up in Haines. He works for UAS as an adjunct professor in Sitka.  He now lives in Kake, and is the owner of oyster farm Pearl of Alaska.

October 14 – Dr. Nina Chordas,“Reading What Couldn’t Be Written: Literary Scholarship in the Soviet Union, or How Socialist Realism Hijacked the Renaissance”

Dr. Nina Chordas spent two months conducting research in Moscow, Russia. As a Russian speaker and Renaissance scholar, she was interested in looking at Soviet interpretations of that historical period, which are markedly different from those of the West. In her studies and conversations with contemporary Russian academics, she learned that Soviet scholars, operating under heavy censorship, must be read “between the lines” in order to understand what they were really saying about the Renaissance and their own time. Dr. Chordas is an Associate Professor of English at UAS.

October 21 – Dr. James Hollifield,  Keynote Speaker for the Juneau World Affairs Council Forum: Human Migration and Refugees: Peril and Hope

Professor James Hollifield is Professor of Political Science at Southern Methodist University, Ora Nixon Arnold Chair in International Political Economy, and Director of SMU’s Tower Center. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Duke University in 1985. Global migration and the response of nation states is a major focus of his current research. His new project, The Emerging Migration State, argues that people move across borders for many reasons—economic, social and political—but rights are the key to migration governance, as modern states strive to fulfill three key functions: maintaining security, promoting trade and investment, and regulating migration. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations and Public Policy Scholar at the Wilson Center, he has published widely on international political and economic issues.

October 28 – Dr. Theresa Arevgaq John, Expert on Indigenous Ways of Knowing

Dr. Theresa Arevgaq John has authored numerous academic articles and is the co-author of Yupiit Yuraryarait: Yup’ik Ways of Dancing.  Her work has been presented at professorial conferences on the local, national and  international level.  Dr. John currently serves on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education and the International Indigenous Women’s Forum. She is a former member of the Alaskan State Council Arts and the former Chair of the Traditional Native Arts Panel. She is also the recipient of the Governor's Distinguished Humanities Educator Award and Alaska State Library Award. As an advocate for Native education, she is highly involved in various organizations and projects that promote traditional Native culture, history, spirituality, language and education. "I believe that we are all lifelong learners. It is very important to share our wisdom and knowledge with others. We can live in the world of peace and harmony.”  Dr. Theresa Arevgaq John is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cross-cultural Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

November 4 – Dr. Chris Hay-Jahans, “The Mathematician’s Laboratory”

Join us for a discussion about mathematicians and a glance into the mysterious place where they so often dwell. Really, who are these people? Why and how do they become who they are? And, why is it that they seem to think so differently from so many others. Embark on an exploratory, sometimes philosophical wandering in search of answers to these and similar questions. Hear about their views and beliefs through anecdotes about them, and through their own words – sometimes humorous, often deep or spiritual, and occasionally inspirational. Dr. Hay-Jahans is a Professor of Mathematics at UAS.

November 11 – Dr. Christina Gomez, “Negotiating Identity in America”

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 6.9% of the U.S. adult population could be considered multiracial. This growing population in the U.S. is having a significant impact on how race and ethnicity is constructed, as well as changing attitudes and perceptions about the meaning of race & ethnicity in the U.S.

For our 2016-17 One Campus, One Book selection, Mixed: Multiracial College Students Tell Their Life Stories, Professor Christina Gómez will discuss the significant growth of the multiracial population, the complicated understandings of a multiracial identity, as well as their everyday lived experiences.

November 18 – Ernestine Hayes, author of The Tao of Raven

Ernestine Hayes reads from her book, The Tao of Raven, which extends narratives from Blonde Indian, an Alaska Native Memoir. Using the story of Raven and the Box of Daylight and relating it to Sun Tzu's Art of War, Hayes weaves strands of memoir, contemplation, and fiction in her newest work. Now a grandmother and thinking very much of the generations who will come after her, Hayes speaks for herself but also writes about the resilience and complications of her Native community. Ms. Hayes is an Assistant Professor of English at UAS.

December 2 – Dr. Heidi Pearson, “‘Blue Carbon’ Ecosystem Services Provided by Marine Mammals”

‘Blue carbon’ is an emerging concept that describes how marine organisms can help to combat climate change by removing CO₂ from the atmosphere. Through their feeding activity, marine mammals such as humpback whales and sea otters can help to stimulate the growth of marine plants and contribute to the ocean’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide. Humpback whales can “fertilize” surface waters by producing nutrient-rich fecal plumes. These nutrients then stimulate the growth of plankton, which absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere. Sea otters help kelp forests to grow by feeding on organisms that graze on kelp, such as sea urchins. By keeping populations of kelp grazers low, sea otters keep kelp forests healthy. Kelp forests, like forests on land, also absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere. With the increasing populations of humpback whales and sea otters in Southeast Alaska, there is potential for these marine mammals to help to reduce atmospheric CO₂ levels. Dr. Pearson is an Assistant Professor of Marine Biology at UAS.