Fall 2026 Sir Run Run Shaw Lecture Series
1.5; or, on the necessity of the humanities in nihilistic times
Jarrett Zigon
University of Virginia
Thursday, September 24, 2026
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Harriman Hall 214
In this talk, Zigon develops the claim that so many today are hopeless not because
of a coming catastrophe such as climate change or AI Armageddon, but rather because
of the general condition of nihilism in which we find ourselves.
Presented by the Department of Philosophy
Event Details
Dana A. Williams
Professor of African American Literature
Dean of the Graduate School
Howard University
Visible Ink: The Art of Black Women's Literary Biography
Thursday, September 24, 2026
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Humanities 1006
In this talk, Dana A. Williams will explore Toni Morrison’s groundbreaking work as
an editor at Random House, where Morrison helped refashion the literary landscape
by empowering a generation of African American cultural icons such as Angela Davis
and Muhammad Ali.
Presented by the Department of English
Event Details
Matthew L. Becker
Hugo L. Blomquist Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering & Material
Science, Biomedical Engineering and Orthopedic Surgery
Duke University
Degradable polymers as building blocks for medical devices: Building from the bottom
up
Friday, September 25, 2026
3:45 pm
Javits Lecture Hall 111
In this talk, Matthew Becker will discuss how incorporating a new class of silyl‑ether
crosslinks enables rapid, tunable, and broadly applicable degradation across three
different 3D‑printed copolyester networks. The presentation will outline his laboratory's
versatile strategy for tuning degradation timelines in 3D printed networks and introduces
a predictive framework for the design of next-generation resorbable medical devices.
Presented by the Department of Chemistry
Event Details
Marita Sturken
Department of Media, Culture, and Communication
New York University
The Legacies of 9/11: Reflections on the 25th Anniversary
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
12:30 pm - 1:50 pm
Humanities 1006
This talk reflects on the legacies of 9/11 as an historical event and the status of
9/11 memory 25 years later.
Presented by the Humanities Institute. Part of the "In the Shadows of the Twin Towers",
a yearlong commemoration marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11 9/11 25-year Anniversary
Remembrance.
Event Details
