Thursday, August 31
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Amy Jessee, UNCA Communication and Marketing
Casey Blake, Asheville Citizen-Times Opinions Editor
"Op-Eds – Putting Your Opinion & Expertise in Print & Online"
The world needs your voice and wisdom, but how do you take what you are teaching, researching or working on and reach readers beyond the classroom walls? Casey Blake from the Asheville Citizen-Times can answer that question and many more, as the publication’s resident Answer Woman and Opinions Editor. Join us at this first Brown Bag Talk of the fall semester to learn more about writing op-eds, from forming your ideas to working within word counts, and of course, getting your perspective in print. We’ll cover the details of being published in the Asheville Citizen-Times as well as writing for education publications, trade magazines, and other opportunities.
Thursday, September 14
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Curt Cloninger, New Media
"Bereft Nothing vs. Fecund Nothing
(or Broken Icons vs. Glitched Gifs or the Dead End Zero vs. the Via Negativa)"
This talk compares two different approaches to making nothing: Robert Fludd’s famous 1617 diagram of the formless void vs. Arakawa and Gins’ installation and book project The Mechanism of Meaning. The talk is based on a chapter from Curt’s upcoming book Some Ways of Making Nothing: Apophatic Apparatuses in Contemporary Art. The talk will begin with a brief introduction to the overall book, which combines quantum apparatus theory and negative theology in order to examine a few contemporary artworks that make nothing.
Thursday, September 21
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Paula Willis, Physics
"Teaching Physics to Tibetan Monks; Rich Gifts from a Dalai Lama Initiative"
This spring Paula Willis taught physics at Sera Jey Monastic University to Buddhist monks living in a Tibetan refugee camp in south India. She will describe the program which sent her, the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative (ETSI), which introduces Neuroscience to the 600 year old curriculum of Tibetan Buddhism. This revolutionary change expresses the Dalai Lama's desire to combine science with compassion and thereby empower his monks to profoundly impact the world. She will also discuss a few surprises from her 10 day visit.
Thursday, September 28
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Rebecca Hale, Biology
"Embedded tutoring and help sessions improve outcomes in Biology courses"
The Biology Department has been using tutors in its core classes for majors and has recently added course-specific help sessions with tutors. Rebecca will present some of the data regarding the benefit of this tutoring model for Biology students.
Thursday, October 12
12 - 2 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Gene Hyde & Colin Reeve, University Archives and Special Collections
"University Archives Open House - 90th Anniversary Edition"
Drop by University Archives for exhibits featuring manuscripts, photographs, publications, and documents showcasing the history of UNC Asheville and our predecessors. Come celebrate UNCA's 90th Anniversary and the 40th Anniversary of the founding of the Southern Highlands Research Center, the initial name for Special Collections and University Archives.
Thursday, October 19
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Mark Hursty, New Media
"Doctrines of Space: Molten Pressed Glass and Digital mold making"
Molten glass techniques are being transformed by digital fabrication. Mark Hursty will present multicultural artistic, scientific and philosophical inspirations for forming Voids from glass. He will also present images of the new University Teaching Council grant-funded glass kiln in action.
Thursday, October 26 (Please note: this is POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT SEMESTER)
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Heather Ulrich, Psychology
"A preliminary look at the UNCA campus sexual assault survey: what does the data say?"
In the spring of 2017 many in our campus community completed a survey examining our students' experiences with sexual assault as well as examining our campus culture and climate that can impact the occurrence of sexual assault. Initial data analyses will provide a look into the prevalence and culture surrounding sexual assault at UNCA.
Thursday, November 9
NOTE NEW TIME: 12:30 - 1:15 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Emilia Panish-Hoffman and Dr. Leah Greden Mathews, Department of Economics
"What does UNCA know about food? Introducing UNC Asheville's Food Studies Archive"
This talk will remind us of the many ways in which UNC Asheville faculty, staff, and students engage with the topic of food and food systems in their classes and research projects, and share progress creating UNC Asheville's new Food Studies Archive. Attendees will be asked to help identify potential additional materials to include in the archive. Faculty and staff who teach food courses or engage with the campus food system, conduct research in food/food systems, or are curious about doing do, are especially encouraged to attend.
Thursday, November 16
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Oliver Gloag, Modern Languages & Literatures
Thursday, November 30
12 - 1 PM
Ramsey Library Special Collections
Grace Campbell, Humanities
"Doxastic Standards and Reasonable Belief"
Can we form beliefs for reasons other than their being true—and still believe reasonably? In the area of philosophical inquiry known as normative epistemology the crucial question is: what does it mean to believe properly? The common view is that we do not believe properly unless we believe reasonably, and that we cannot believe reasonably unless we are aiming at truth. This discussion will consider an argument that we can i) choose what beliefs we adopt; and 2) adopt some beliefs reasonably, even if our primary aim is not having beliefs that are true. Because we can have multiple kinds of reasons for believing as we do, plural kinds of rationality -- epistemic, practical, theoretical —can operate to guide our belief formation. We cope with our plurality of motivations by adopting and adhering to doxastic standards. If the standards are themselves reasonable, following the standards rationalizes our believing behaviour, even if truth-acquisition is not the primary aim.