SUNY Potsdam Honors Program Presents 'Thinking Across the Disciplines' Lecture Series

SUNY Potsdam Honors Program Showcases Perspectives on Race and Ethnicity in Free Series

POTSDAM, NY (02/10/2016)(readMedia)-- The SUNY Potsdam Honors Program invites campus and community to join for a free interdisciplinary lecture series seeking a deeper understanding of racial relations and social justice this semester. The "Thinking Across the Disciplines" lecture series invites professors and community members from an array of academic backgrounds to share reflections on interpretations of race and ethnicity from their own perspectives.

The series kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 11, with a lecture led by Dr. Nasser Malit, an assistant professor in SUNY Potsdam's Department of Anthropology. He will explore the various aspects of human biological or bicultural variation, focusing on the history and understanding of race within the field of biological anthropology.

The "Thinking Across the Disciplines" series is free and open to the public. All lectures will be offered from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. in the Raymond Hall eighth floor dining room, which is wheelchair-accessible.

Upcoming lectures will include:

  • Thursday, Feb. 11: "Anthropology of Human Variation, Race and Ethnicity," presented by Dr. Nasser Malit of SUNY Potsdam's anthropology department.
  • Tuesday, Feb. 23: "Violence Against Native American Women: Why Don't the Numbers Tell the Story?," presented by Dr. Nancy Lewis, an associate professor of sociology at SUNY Potsdam.
  • Tuesday, March 15: Lecture by Dr. Khalid Omar Kitito, a teaching fellow in the Department of Modern Languages at St. Lawrence University, Canton.
  • Tuesday, March 22: Lecture by Dr. Melissane Schrems, a faculty member in the history department and the coordinator of Native American Studies at St. Lawrence University.
  • Tuesday, March 29: "Musical Unity and Resistance Across the African Diaspora," presented by Dr. Julie Hunter, an assistant professor of ethnomusicology at SUNY Potsdam's Crane School of Music.

Additional lectures are in the works for the series as well, including a presentation by the Rev. Shaun Whitehead, the associate chaplain at St. Lawrence University, which is tentatively scheduled for April.

The "Thinking Across the Disciplines" series has been designed by SUNY Potsdam Associate Professor Dr. Jeremy van Blommestein, who is the chair of the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice.

The SUNY Potsdam Honors Program encourages highly motivated students to explore education in a supportive environment. The Honors Program is designed to realize the ideal of a handcrafted education by offering small class sizes with increased student interaction and independent projects. Honors courses encourage student participation, and are taught by faculty members who excel in their field of study. Honors students enjoy benefits such as graduation with distinction, early registration, use of an honors lounge and computer lab, optional housing that includes a shared kitchen and lounge, special programming and a jump-start into undergraduate research.

For more information about the SUNY Potsdam Honors Program, visit www.potsdam.edu/honors.

Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America's first 50 colleges-and the oldest institution within SUNY. As the College marks its bicentennial in 2016, SUNY Potsdam will celebrate a 200-year legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 4,200 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and leadership in the arts. Empowered by a culture of creativity, the campus community is nearing the completion of Take the Lead: The Campaign for Potsdam, which has already raised $32 million for scholarships and programs.

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