Robert and Lillis Kingman Lecture Series on Science and Society
The Robert and Lillis Kingman Lecture Series on Science and Society, which aims to bring significant speakers in science and mathematics onto the Andrews University campus, was established in 2019.
The Kingman family has a long history at Andrews University. Robert Kingman began teaching in the Department of Physics in 1971 and eventually went on to serve as chair of the department for more than 40 years by the time of his retirement. During this time, he implemented faculty home vespers, which have since become important social and spiritual gatherings. Kingman received his master’s and doctoral degrees in physics from the University of Arizona, Tucson. His dissertation is titled “On the spatial distribution of clusters and galaxies.”
2024: Michael C. Downer
Michael Downer is the plenary presenter at the 5th annual Robert & Lillis Kingman Lecture Series on Science and Society on Wednesday, October 23, 2024 in the Howard Performing Arts Center, Andrews University. Michael Downer researches femtosecond spectroscopy in condensed matter and plasmas, semiconductor interface physics, surface nonlinear optics, and atomic, molecular, and plasma physics at a high light intensity with plasma-based particle accelerators. His presentation will be on “Small particle accelerators for big 21st century science.”
Click to watch the video recording.
2023: Dewey Murdick
Dewey Murdick was the plenary presenter at 4th annual Robert & Lillis Kingman Lecture Series on Science and Society on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 in the Howard Performing Arts Center, Andrews University. Dr. Murdick is the Executive Director at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET). His presentation, “Understanding Tomorrow Today: Artificial Intelligence's Impact on Society” sought to unravel the implications for the use of the cutting-edge AI, probe the global challenges it poses, and shine a light on today's technology-policy debates. He shared crucial insights into how to take personal ownership and exercise agency to positively shape our rapidly evolving world.
To view the recording of the event click here.
2022-23: Mary H. Schweitzer
Dr. Schweitzer was the plenary presenter at the third Robert and Lillis Kingman Lecture Series on Science and Society on Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at the Howard Performing Arts Center. Dr. Schweitzer is a professor in the Department of Biological Science at North Carolina State University. The title of her presentation, "Dinosaurs Under the Microscope," provided insight into her research on fossils and molecules and explored their journey through time.
2021: Eugenia Cheng
The second Robert and Lillis Kingman Lecture Series on Science and Society was held on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at 7:00 pm in the Howard Performing Arts Center on the campus of Andrews University. The presentation, intended for lay audiences was entitled, "The Art of Logic in an Illogical World." Eugenia Cheng, PhD, was the featured speaker. Dr. Cheng is a Scientist in Residence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an Honorary Visiting Fellow of City, University of London. Previously she was a senior lecturer of Pure Mathematics in the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, UK. Watch the video recording.
2019: David Reitze
The first Robert and Lillis Kingman Lecture Series on Science and Society as held on Wednesdsay, October 23, 2019. The inaugural speaker was Dr. David Reitze, executive director of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Laboratory and Professor of Physics at the California Institute of Technology. His presentation was titled "Gravitational Waves: A Revolution in the Way We Study the Universe." Additional information & video.