Discovery Themes — March 6, 2015

Starting the Conversation

As a research university, we have enormous potential to bring intellectual heft and focused collaborative efforts to solve some of the world's problems that loom so large. In this regard, with Ohio State's Discovery Themes Initiative, we selected three focus areas where we already have strengths to build on —Health and Wellness, Energy and Environment, Food Production and Security.

To take this initiative to the public, the Provost's Discovery Themes Lecturer Program brings distinguished scholars to Ohio State to discuss their work as it relates to one or more of the Discovery Themes' focus areas. The lecture program offers an extraordinary opportunity for students, faculty and members of the community to engage in thoughtful conversations about major issues of global concern with esteemed researchers and to explore new approaches to important global challenges.

For the next lecture in the program's series the community is invited to hear Dr. Jared Diamond, professor of geography and physiology at UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health, present his lecture, “The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn From Traditional Societies?” Dr. Diamond's talk will be held on Thursday, April 2, 6:30-8:30 PM (doors open at 6:00 PM) in the Archie Griffin Ballroom in the Ohio Union on the Columbus campus.

Dr. Diamond is a Pulitzer Prize winning author and an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In addition, he has received a MacArthur Genius Grant, the National Medal of Science and the internationally renowned Cosmos Prize. His work in ecology and evolutionary biology ranges from topics as diverse as birds in New Guinea to failed civilizations. At this lecture, he will discuss cautionary insights for the collective future the world faces that he has gleaned through his research and findings.

In addition to the Discovery Themes Initiative, sponsorship of the lecture program includes the Humanities Institute and the Inter-Professional Council and is free and open to the public. Please visit, go.osu.edu/jareddiamond to register for this lecture.

Stephen C. Myers

The Ohio State University

Stephen C. Myers, PhD
Associate Provost, Office of Academic Affairs
Professor, Horticulture and Crop Science

As associate provost, Stephen C. Myers has a leadership role in building the infrastructure and relationships necessary to deploy the Discovery Themes initiative. He is also responsible for developing and implementing a university-wide outreach and engagement program.