Notables on Campus: Spring 2017

“People always ask me which species is smarter – I tell them that’s like asking which is a better tool, a screwdriver or a hammer? It depends on the job at hand. That is how evolution works; a particular species evolved because it was useful in different ways.” – Brian Hare

Brian Hare
Scientist and New York Times bestselling author Brian Hare spoke on Meredith’s campus on October 11. In addition to an evening lecture, he visited a research methods class, held an informal Q&A, and joined a group of students, faculty, and staff for dinner. Hare, who is an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University and the founder of the Duke Canine Cognition Center, presented a lecture titled “Survival of the Friendliest.”

Lee Smith
Award-winning novelist Lee Smith, author of Meredith’s Summer Reading selection, Dimestore: A Writer’s Life, spoke at Meredith on October 12 about her experiences as a writer and storyteller. While at Meredith, Smith also visited classes and participated in other events, including a lunch gathering with English majors and minors, and a meet-and-greet with students.  

Mia Bloom
Author and terrorism expert Mia Bloom spoke at Meredith on September 29. Her talk, “Veiled Threats: Women and Jihad,” covered women’s roles in terrorist movements. Bloom is professor of communication at Georgia State University in Atlanta. She conducts ethnographic field research in Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia on violent extremism.

Quail Ridge Books Partnership
Nationally-known authors Jodi Picoult and Vivian Howard visited Meredith as part of the College’s partnership with Quail Ridge Books. On October 14, Picoult discussed her newest novel, Small Great Things, in conversation with physician Damon Tweedy, author of Black Man in a White Coat: A Doctor’s Reflections on Race and Medicine. This event was co-sponsored by Meredith’s Friends of the Library. Howard presented her new cookbook, Deep Run Roots, on October 20. In the new book, Howard, chef and co-owner of Chef and the Farmer in Kinston, N.C., celebrates local, seasonal cuisine.