Aris Lecture Series

The Aris Lecture Series began in 1964.  The series arose from the scholarship of Rutherford Aris, who was interested in both chemical engineering and paleography.  Chemical engineering uses  chemistry to achieve socially  valuable materials like fuels, drugs, and pollution control.  Paleography is the history of calligraphy, and so examines both the artistry of writing and the ways in which it is used to record human achievement.

Because of these diverse interests, Professor Aris was concerned by the split between different parts of human knowledge, enforced by the organization of colleges and departments in the university.  Because he felt that different disciplines do not talk to each other sufficiently, he hoped that this lecture series would reach a broad audience, and so stimulate more discussion.  As he said in his preface to the 1964 series: "These seminars grow from a desire to acquaint ourselves and our graduate students with a few of the many fascinating areas that are being pursued within the University.  That a graduate student should emerge with the title of "Doctor of Philosophy" without the least contact with modes of thought outside his own field is in the highest degree deplorable, but it would be idle to pretend that this does not happen much, if not most, of the time."

Professor Aris thus sets a high standard for any future series.

Past seminar series have included the following topics:

"A Broader View of Research"
"Foundations of Creativity"
"Technology and Society"
"The Meaning of Elegance"

We look forward to continuing this tradition with the 2005 series, "Challenges to Education."

2004–05 series

Today's Public Research University: Costs, Benefits, and Expectations

Robert Bruininks

President, University of Minnesota
Tuesday, February 1
1:25 p.m., B75 Amundson Hall

Challenges to PreK-12 Education and the Impact on Public Schools

Kenneth Dragseth

Superintendent, Edina Public Schools
Tuesday, February 15
1:25 p.m., B75 Amundson Hall

Minnesota Education Goals for the 21st Century

Steve Kelley

Senator, Minnesota Legislature
Tuesday, March 1
1:25 p.m., B75 Amundson Hall

Personal Experience in the Application of Chemical Engineering and Selected Research Topics in GE Advanced Materials

William Banholzer

Vice president, General Electric
Tuesday, March 8
1:25 p.m., B75 Amundson Hall

Biology in Chemical Engineering

Robert Brown

Provost, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Thursday, March 10
1:25 p.m., B75 Amundson Hall

Early Experiences and Brain Development

Megan Gunnar

Professor, Department of Child Development
Tuesday, March 22
1:25 p.m., B75 Amundson Hall

Additional lectures to be announced.