Catalogue

Distinguished Scientist Lecture Series

The Distinguished Scientist Lecture Series originated in 1979 when Nobel laureate physicist Paul Dirac accepted an invitation from Bard professor Abe Gelbart and the Bard Center to deliver a lecture titled “The Discovery of Antimatter.” The talk presented a view of science rarely seen by the general public—as a record of personal achievement as well as a body of facts and theories. Since then audiences have heard more than a hundred eminent scientists, including 45 Nobel laureates and four Fields medalists. Recent speakers have included Beate Liepert, pioneering climate change research scientist, who discovered the phenomenon of global dimming; Nina Jablonski, author of Skin: A Natural History and a leading researcher on the evolution of human skin color; and Deborah Tannen, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University and author of You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation.