Thursday, Iowa State University’s Lecture Series will kick off for the year with a panel discussion titled “The Uninhabitable Earth? Climate Change and Your Future”.

The discussion will cover climate change and the subsequent political, psychological and economic effects of the phenomenon. The event will take place at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union’s Great Hall.

Iowa State’s Lecture Series offers opportunities to attend lectures and speeches on a variety of topics. Brought to campus by the Student Government and the provost’s office, the program invites speakers to come and share their expertise with campus and the larger community. Lecture Series are open to the public and free of entry costs.

Thursday’s event will feature several speakers: Dr. Yu Wang, associate political science professor, Amy Erica Smith, associate professor of political science as well as a Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s Professor, Dr. Robert C. Brown, an Anson Marston distinguished professor in engineering and endowed chair holder in mechanical engineering at Iowa State and Dr. Craig Anderson, Professor of Psychology at Iowa State. The panel is also moderated by Iowa State political science professor Karen Kedrowski.

Another noteworthy detail of this event is that it’s held in honor of Iowa State alumni Dwight Ink’s 99th birthday. Ink, raised in an impoverished rural family during the Great Depression, was the first Iowa State student to earn a degree in government. He served in World War II and has made substantial contributions to the government throughout his life. Ink’s birthday is Sept. 9. 

The lecture will also be live-streamed for audiences who can’t make it to the Memorial Union, and the recording will be made available to the public online for two weeks following the event.