Sept. 3, 2009

Faculty forums address today's issues

by Paula Van Brocklin

The Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost and the Committee on Lectures are sponsoring a series of faculty forums this fall. The forums highlight the research of several Iowa State faculty members on timely topics. All forums will be held at 8 p.m. in the Great Hall, Memorial Union. They are free and open to the public.

The first forum, slated for Thursday, Sept. 10, will address health care reform. Panelists include:

  • Liesl Eathington, director of the Regional Capacity Analysis Program (ReCAP) and assistant scientist in the department of economics, who recently authored a report on the uninsured
  • Mark Imerman, an economist and director of recruitment services for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who has conducted research on nursing labor markets and patient hospital choices
  • Dr. Michael Kitchell, a physician with McFarland Clinic and president of the Iowa Medical Society, who has testified before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health
  • Doug Walker, assistant professor of marketing, who has researched the impact of pharmaceutical advertising

Dianne Bystrom, director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, will moderate the discussion and speak about the role of political rhetoric in the health care reform debate. President Gregory Geoffroy will provide opening remarks.

The health care reform forum also is sponsored by the colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Business.

For more information about these forums and other upcoming lectures, visit lectures or the university calendar online.

Save the dates

Two additional faculty forums are planned for later this fall. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Oct. 13, for a forum on economic recovery, and for Tuesday, Nov. 3, for a discussion about global climate change.

Peter Orazem, University Professor of Economics, and David Peters, assistant professor of sociology, will participate in the October forum. Additional panelists may join them.

November panelists who will address global climate change are Gene Takle, professor in agronomy and geological and atmospheric sciences; John Miranowski, director of the Institute of Science and Society; William Gutowski, professor of geological and atmospheric sciences; and Ray Aritt, professor of agronomy. Members of ISU's Climate Science Initiative team also will join the panel.