Speakers Bureau

The University of Missouri’s College of Arts and Science is the oldest and largest college at Mizzou, with more than 100 degree programs and certificates in a wide range of fields, including art, philosophy, biological sciences, music, history, chemistry, political science, economics, and English, to name just a few. The A&S Speakers Bureau showcases the range and relevance of the college’s research and academic programs.

What is a speakers bureau?

Created in partnership with MU Extension, the A&S Speakers Bureau highlights some of the faculty interested in giving public lectures about their research and teaching. Speakers are available to give presentations to groups and organizations throughout Missouri and surrounding areas. These lectures are all intended for the general public.

Who can use it?

Anyone.

Is there a fee?

No.

What topics are offered?

Some examples include “The Chemistry of NASCAR,” “Hollywood and Politics,” “Neuroscience Research and Rehabilitation of the Brain and Body,” “Missouri in Photographs,” “Missouri Speech Patterns,” and “Walt Disney and American Culture.” These are just a few of the topics available.

How do I request a speaker?

Review the list of speakers/topics and then contact Amanda Cook at 573-884-4482 or CookAS@missouri.edu to check on speaker availability. You may also submit a request form here. Bookings are subject to availability.

Other details?

The organization and the speaker will work out how long the presentation should be. The speaker may request the host group to provide a projector and screen.

Anthropology
Speaker Topics
Libby Cowgill
Associate Professor
  • Evolution of Neandertals and Early Modern Humans
  • Bone Health and Strength
  • Human Growth
Art History
Speaker Topics
Michael Yonan
Associate Professor
  • Museums in Missouri: From the Well Known to the Surprising
Chemistry
Speaker Topics
Sheila Baker
Assistant Professor
  • The Science of Wine and its History in Missouri
  • How Chemistry at Mizzou Impacts your Life
  • Science in Everyday Life
  • Learning Science Through Photography, What Do They Have in Common?
Steve Keller
Associate Professor
  • The Chemistry of Climate Change 
  • The Chemistry of NASCAR
  • The Chemistry of Beer
Communication
Speaker Topics
Mitchell McKinney
Professor
  • Political Campaign Debates: Planning Candidate Forums in the Local Community
  • Engaging Citizens in the Civic and Political Process
  • Engaging Young Citizens in the Civic and Political Process
  • Understanding Millennials and Social Media

No specific Missouri topics, but if a local community or civic organization would be interested in planning candidate forums or debates, I could do a workshop/presentation on that topic.
English
Speaker Topics
Frances Dickey
Associate Professor
  • Missouri's most-famous poet, T.S. Eliot
Matt Gordon
Professor
  • Missouri Speech Patterns
  • American Dialects
Anand Prahlad
Professor
  • Folklore Traditions
Alexandra Socarides
Associate Professor
  • Nineteenth-century American Women Writers
  • Emily Dickinson
  • The Poems We Think We Know
Nancy West
Professor
  • Snapshot Photography & American Culture
  • The New Renaissance in Television
  • Film, TV, and the Novels We Love
Geography
Speaker Topics
Soren Larsen
Associate Professor
  • Sense of Place and Place Identity in Rural Communities
Geological Sciences
Speaker Topics
Eric Sandvol
Professor
  • Induced Earthquakes and Waste Water Injection
  • The New Madrid Seismic Zone and Why It Is so Odd
  • How Mountains Form
  • Earthquakes and Explosions: Monitoring Nuclear Weapons Testing
History
Speaker Topics
Jay Sexton
Professor
  • The Global Legacy of Abraham Lincoln
  • American Constitutional Democracy in the World
Steve Watts
Professor
  • Walt Disney and American Culture
  • John F. Kennedy and the Masculine Mystique
Museum of Art and Archaeology
Speaker Topics
Alex Barker
Director
  • Symbolism and Religion of Ancient Missourians
  • Archaeology and the Myth of the Moundbuilders
  • Museum and Cultural Property Issues
Music
Speaker Topics
Neil Minturn
Associate Professor
  • Playing with Meter in Jazz and Rock
  • Bach's Musical Offering: Mind Bending Contrapuntal Craft
  • Rhythm and Meter in Music and in Poetry
Political Science
Speaker Topics
Bill Horner
Teaching Professor
  • Media and Politics
  • Hollywood and Politics
  • Saturday Night Live and Politics (presented with Heather Carver of MU Theatre)
L. Marvin Overby
Professor
  • Congressional Politics
  • Southern Politics
  • The "Great Migration" of Southerners to the North (and Its Impact on National Politics)
Psychological Sciences
Speaker Topics
Scott Frey
Professor
  • Neuroscience Research and Rehabilitation of the Brain and Body
Laura King
Curators' Distinguished Professor
  • Psychology of Happiness
  • Journaling for Health
Amanda Rose
Professor
  • Promoting Girls' and Women's Success in the Workplace
Religious Studies
Speaker Topics
Nate Hofer
Associate Professor
  • Islam
  • History of the Middle East
  • Religion and Violence
  • Religion and Secularism
Theatre
Speaker Topics
Heather Carver
Professor and Chair
  • Telling One’s Story/Autobiography and Health Issues 
  • Bess Truman’s “Independence” as a First Lady
  • Saturday Night Live and Politics (presented with Bill Horner of the Department of Political Science)

Request Form