Invite a Humber Professor to your School

Shakespeare & Film

Mary Ellen Kappler
Liberal Studies 

An illustrated lecture about the highly interpretive nature of Shakespeare’s work. Every filmmaker who approaches a Shakespearean play understands the text differently – and film provides a wide range of strategies and techniques to express those specific visions.  

Using Macbeth as an example, students will watch and discuss different versions of a key scene from the play. We will consider both the various “meanings” of the play and the specific methods that convey those meanings. The overall intent of the lecture /discussion is to demonstrate the way that multiple levels of meaning interact in both literature and film.

The Viral Age: 
Social Networks and the Spread of Information

Nathan Radke
Liberal Studies 

The modern teenager lives in a very different world than a teenager of the previous generation. Information transmission and exchange in 2013 is fundamentally different than even 20 years ago. Technologies connect people to a degree that would previously have been thought impossible, and social networking sites have increased exponentially this circulation of information. 

To understand the implications of this situation, we look to the virus. By understanding the processes of viral agents, the implications of social networks become clearer, both in their powers and their dangers. This lecture explains the nature of viral information using recent historical examples and applies the theory to the lives of the people who interact with these new technologies.

Digital Culture

Nathan Radke 
Liberal Studies

When we are surrounded by something, we may have difficulty seeing it or its consequences on us. The modern Canadian high school student exists in the actual physical world and the virtual digital one. While he or she may be familiar with both, the interaction between the two may remain unquestioned.  

This lecture examines the nature of the virtual world – in particular the implications of the viral transmission method of digital information – from both a theoretical and a practical perspective.

Philosophy & Choice: How Can Philosophy Help You Find Career Fulfillment?

Suzanne Senay
Liberal Studies

This presentation helps students think about how our careers can contribute to the overall quality of our lives. We begin by asking, what is a good or flourishing life?  We consider what personal and intellectual skills might be necessary for leading this kind of life and we explore how careers  may both use and foster these skills.  Finally, we examine the role philosophy can play in building these skills. 

In a discussion format, students learn the definition of  philosophy, apply philosophical  theories of human happiness and flourishing to their own lives, and explore how philosophical thinking can help them succeed in the workplace and gain satisfaction from their careers.

Alternative Energy

Steve Stockton
Liberal Studies 

What are our current energy needs? What will those needs look like in the future? How will we be able to meet those needs? In this presentation, we examine the need for alternative energy sources and discuss how future energy production might look.

We begin by looking at current and anticipated future demands for energy, then we examine the benefits and limitations of current renewable and non-renewable energy sources. We follow–up with analysis of the potential of several newer alternative energy sources and, finally, we focus on the need for energy conservation as part of the solution.

Ethical Leadership: Principles at Stake

Doug Wright
Liberal Studies

Gandhi faced some unique challenges in his efforts to end British colonialism in India. For his campaign to work, he needed to maintain strict adherence to the principle of non-violence; a single exception would undermine the moral authority that gave such force to his movement. As he attracted more followers, it became harder to ensure that all would follow his principles. 

He needed to be popular, yet that popularity made his task more difficult. In this lecture, we move beyond Gandhi’s specific struggle to discuss other ways in which success could sometime threaten the integrity of one’s initial vision and how a good leader manages that challenge.