Previous Corps of Discovery Speakers
"Always Wanting More:
Implications of Materialism for Ourselves and Our World"
An expert in consumer behavior and materialism, Marsha Richins delivered the Corps of Discovery Lecture on Sept. 23, 2008. Richins discussed how acquiring material items affects our lives and examined the environmental, social and political impact of this "quest for more" on the world at large. The Myron Watkins Distinguished Professor of Marketing at MU's Trulaske College of Business, Richins is an esteemed scholar in the study of consumer values, the role products play in people's lives and the influence of advertising on self-perceptions and perceived quality of life.
“Heart-Healthy Pork, Pig Organs for Humans and
Green Eggs and Ham: How Pigs Can Benefit You”
Curators Professor Randall S. Prather, who specializes in reproductive biotechnology in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, delivered the Corps of Discovery Lecture on Oct. 2, 2007. His work and a greater understanding of molecular biology and the genome, have led to precise genetic modifications of pigs. This breakthrough may result in pig organs for humans, disease-resistant pigs, pharmaceuticals and a more nutritious pork chop. Prather joined the faculty of the MU animal sciences department in 1989. He currently serves as co-director of the National Swine Research and Resource Center.
“Civilizing the New Century: Managing
Communication Conflict Across Cultures”
Glen Cameron, who delivered the Corps of Discovery Lecture on Sept. 18, 2006, has spent his professional life observing and analyzing the ways in which different organizations clash while communicating with one another. Recognized worldwide as an expert in the public relations field, Cameron focused his lecture on the role of media and strategic communication as forces in escalating or resolving global conflict. Cameron is the Maxine Wilson Gregory Chair in Journalism and co-director of the Health Communication Research Center at MU.
“All Times Are Not the Same:
Time and Its Impact on Human Life”
Recognized internationally as a pioneer in the study of time, the human perception of time and how it affects our lives, Allen C. Bluedorn delivered the second 21st Century Corps of Discovery Lecture on Oct. 20, 2005. He discussed how time is ever-changing, varying from place to place and from era to era. What people believe and value about time are key elements that affect all human behavior. Bluedorn is the Emma S. Hibbs Distinguished Professor and teaches at the MU Trulaske College of Business.
“Rediscovering Our Roots:
Oral Tradition and the Internet”
John Miles Foley, director of MU's Center for Studies in Oral Tradition and Curators' Professor of Classical Studies and English, delivered the inaugural 21st Century Corps of Discovery Lecture on Sept. 8, 2004. During his lecture he explored the rediscovery of our oldest communications technology — oral tradition — and highlighted similarities with the Internet in transmitting human art and knowledge. Foley is recognized internationally as one of the most prolific and original American professors of the humanities.
