One of the MSU Alumni Office's long-standing featured offerings, the Coffee with the Profs series highlights research and work done by some of the university’s finest faculty and staff.
The cost is $75 for 5 sessions and includes coffee and parking. All presentations begin at 10:00 a.m. and take place at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center. Please note that this is a series, so registration is for the series only, not individual presentations.
Several presentations from the series will be livestreamed and then placed in our Livestream archive so you can watch them at any time after the original presentation.
Registration for the Fall 2019 series has closed. Spring 2020 dates will be announced in late-November. If you would like to be added to the email list, please contact Elizabeth Wheeler via email or by calling (517) 884-2106.
Monday, October 14
PFAS: A Growing Threat to Michigan's Water Resources and Human Health
Lois Wolfson, senior specialist, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and Institute of Water Research
What are PFAS chemicals? They are man-made toxic substances used in many industrial processes since the 1940s, including stain-resistant fabrics, nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, and fire-fighting foams. They are now being found in Michigan soils, water, fish, wildlife and humans. Known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, these chemicals bioaccumulate and are nearly impossible to break down naturally. They’re now the target of state attention and action. What do we, the consumers, need to know?
This presentation is scheduled to be livestreamed.
Monday, October 28
Keeping Campus Safe and Beautiful: An Inside Look at All the Work That Goes On Behind the Scenes
Matthew Bailey, landscape services manager, Infrastructure Planning and Facilities
IPF Landscape Services maintains more than 1,500 acres of greenspace, 57 lane miles of roadways, 25,000 parking spaces, 113 miles of sidewalks, 7 parking garages and 36 holes of championship golf maintained. During this conversation, we will be talking about all the specialty equipment, training, and coordination that it takes to keep MSU growing. This presentation is scheduled to be livestreamed.
Monday, November 4
Re-Writing the Middle Ages: What Does Truth Have to Do With It?
Tamar Boyadjian, associate professor, Department of English
What do the Middle Ages tell us about our world today? Though the “Dark Ages” seem so long ago and perhaps disconnected from our current world, they are more entangled than we think. In what ways can we look at the medieval period to better understand the ways in which we view other people and cultures around us? Let’s talk about how these representations are informed from the past – or perhaps a rewritten version of it.
Monday, November 11
Science, Food, and Public Perception
Doug Buhler, director, MSU AgBioResearch, and assistant vice president for research and innovation
Many people rely on information from friends, family and people who share their opinions on science, technology and food. By the same token, we scientists tend to stay in our comfort zones while lamenting the emotion-driven, fact-lite arguments against GMOs and other modern technology. I suggest that it is time for scientists to emerge from our bubbles and to listen to and engage in clear and thoughtful conversations with our critics. This presentation is scheduled to be livestreamed.
Monday, November 18
Inside the Legal Life of Michigan’s Indian Tribes
Matthew L.M. Fletcher, professor, College of Law, and director, Indigenous Law & Policy Center
Meet a chief justice of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Supreme Court and hear more about current legal issues of federal and tribal law in Indian country.
Several presentations from the series are livestreamed each semester. Check out our Livestream archive for past presentations that you can watch at any time.