The upcoming colloquium series to be held in the John Sykes College of Business will be comprised of three diverse lectures intended to broaden interdisciplinary appreciation among University of Tampa students. The first installment of this free event will be presented by Dr. James Gore of the natural and health sciences department this Friday, Jan. 29. Gore will be succeeded by fellow UT professors, Dr. Bella Galperin of management, presenting on Feb. 11, and Dr. Ann H. Williams of biology, presenting on March 19.
Dr. Janet McNew, UT provost and primary organizer of the lecture series, has experienced and orchestrated similar lecture events in the past and is a firm believer in their value. “I’m happy to say that I brought the idea for such a series with me all the way from Minn., where I was once a young faculty member who presented in such a series and enjoyed the camaraderie among faculty that such an event provided.”
Among the hopes on the part of UT provost and the contributing faculty members for the series, is to bridge diverse areas of study and encourage professors to share original research and findings.
The topics of the lectures will vary widely and span a number of academic disciplines, from innovations in cancer research to discussions on workplace dynamics and the importance of travel abroad. Gore will commence the series with a discussion based upon past experiences and research garnered from over two decades of leading study trips to Africa and several personal research excursions. Although the purpose of the lecture is largely scientific, (an examination of river ecology and conservation within Africa,) Gore’s message will encompass a more humanitarian theme as well.
“As a new Dean and faculty member I want to let the UT community know about my research interests, both past and present, but more importantly to demonstrate the value of international experience for students. The ability to understand the breadth of problems that we just talk about in classes can really be emphasized in these experiences. Exposure to different cultures and attitudes towards those same problems allows students to understand that our solutions and perspectives are not necessarily superior, just different.”
Gore attributes his own insight into this truth and his desire to share it with students to his extensive journeying within regions of Africa subjected to social injustice and turmoil. “Being able to travel around a country in the last days of Apartheid made me keenly aware of cultural differences and attitudes towards so many issues that I wanted my own students to participate in those experiences,” Gore explained.
By sharp contrast, Dr. Bella Galperin, associate Professor of Management at UT, will be giving a discourse on workplace deviance and the reconciliation of its forms.
“During my upcoming presentation I will be discussing both the destructive aspects as well as the constructive aspects of workplace deviance. I hope to further delve into the fine balance of the two forms of deviance and engage the UT community to discover new ways to apply the concept.”
Galperin, in keeping with the larger intent of the series, believes that her topic has implications extending far beyond her own field of management and can contribute to other disciplines as well.
“I am hoping to spark interest in the topic of workplace deviance across the university, not just in members of the College of Business. Workplace deviance overlaps with other disciplines, such as psychology and criminology,” said Galperin, “It even intersects with nursing and the sciences. I am hoping that the presentation will enable us to further explore those boundaries and bring about synergy in the area.”
To conclude the series, Dr. Ann H. Williams will be presenting new research on prospective cancer treatments gathered from years of personal research and collaboration with the greater scientific community.
“What we’re moving towards is individualized cancer treatments based upon protein identification,” said Williams.
Because cancer is one of the overbearing horrors of our age and therefore has worldwide relevance, the importance of Williams’ talk transcends scientific curiosity and has a potential impact upon all UT students.
“A lot of people don’t know what we do all day in our laboratories,” said Williams. “This is our chance to show them.”
The lecture series as a whole is a vehicle to help bring such findings to light and promote understanding of a myriad of issues shaping our modern world.
“Insofar as there’s a theme,” said McNew. “It would have to do with building an intellectual community, particularly among faculty and staff.”