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Call for Lecturers | Curious People

The goal of this series is to celebrate the joy of discovery, the depth and scope of knowledge and creative activity at UNO, and the many contributions of higher education.

Curious People graphic

The Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC) is looking for UNO faculty or staff who would like to present a lecture for the Curious People series for the 2019-2020 academic year and beyond. Lectures take place at 6 P.M. once a month at the CEC from September to April, excluding December.

Curious People is a free, innovative lecture series that highlights UNO’s vast array of bright and curious thinkers. The series features both emerging and established faculty scholars as well as UNO staff with specific expertise. Any topic is welcome but should be relatable to curious and diverse learners from throughout the community.

Lectures are limited to 60 minutes, including questions, and should ideally create a lively conversation among attendees. The goal of this series is to celebrate the joy of discovery, the depth and scope of knowledge and creative activity at UNO, and the many contributions of higher education.


Register as a Lecturer


About Curious People

For the first 45 minutes, faculty share their chosen topic, often an area of personal fascination outside their academic research field. The remaining time will be spent taking questions from the audience.

UNO Faculty will speak about topics they have spent much time studying and pondering in their personal and academic lives. These events are free and open to the Omaha community to explore and learn about a number of topics, ranging from homegrown terrorists to parasitic brain drain.

The goal of this series is to stimulate curiosity among attendees. Curiosity has many benefits to those who ask questions, including an increase in the ability to learn and retain information, personal growth, openness to new opportunities, and overcoming stereotypes. It also increases problem-solving skills, maintains a sense of wonder that helps with innovation, and creates positive interpersonal interactions.

Curiosity stimulates productive conversations by seeking to understand another’s beliefs and allowing participants to authentically examine their own assumptions and opinions. In order to genuinely explore new ideas, one must be actively listening and open to exchanging knowledge. This free series is intended to foster a community of like-minded searchers, interested in learning more about the hidden areas of expertise at UNO.