A Nature Walk in Root Glen
You will be guided along the mile-long red shale path by Ernest Williams, the
Christian A. Johnson Excellence in Teaching Professor of Biology, to enjoy
the quiet beauty of the glen. Novice and skilled naturalists, as well as anyone
in between, are welcome.
Bicentennial History of the College
In the vision of its founders in 1812, the education of Hamilton College
students was to be systematic, invariable and unchanging. Nevertheless
dramatic changes came to the Hill affecting the curriculum, admission, social
life and identity. Maurice Isserman, the James L. Ferguson Professor of
History and author of On the Hill: A Bicentennial History of Hamilton College,
will discuss the contest between the forces of change and continuity in Hamilton's
second century.
The Legacy of Trees on the Hamilton Campus
The College Arboretum consists of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants for
scientific and educational study. Plants are cultivated, labeled, catalogued and
mapped, providing ample opportunities for exploration. Arboretum Director
Terry Hawkridge P'01 will lead a 75-minute tour along flat ground.
Giants in the Earth: A Guided Tour of Hamilton's Cemetery
A tour and talk led by Hamilton Alumni Review Editor Emeritus Frank Lorenz.
Why Translation Matters
When a book or a poem in translation leaves its author it takes on a life of
its own. It becomes an interpretation, one of an infinite number of possible
performances. Elegant or clumsy, crude or polished, a translation is as much
an original work of art as a pianist's Beethoven concerto or an actor's
Shakespeare soliloquy. On every page a translator makes critical artistic
choices that reflect his or her own emotional and aesthetic connection to the
text. Greg Bathon '56 will talk about the mostly anonymous practice of this
art and about how translators really work.
Hydrofracking the Marcellus Shale
Energy companies harvesting "clean energy" natural gas from the Marcellus
Shale, through a procedure known as hydraulic fracturing or "hydrofracking,"
maintain that the chances of irrevocably polluting the New York City
watershed are miniscule. Steve Wood '98 and Associate Professor of
Geosciences Todd Rayne will address some of the potential costs and risks
associated with having to re-source New York City's water supply should the
energy companies make mistakes or take shortcuts in safety procedures such
as the ones that led to the Gulf oil spill. These potential costs could exact
staggering economic, social and environmental tolls on our civilization and
the trading center of the world.
Sustainable Investments
Since co-founding Generation Investment
Management in 2004, David Blood '81 and team
have worked to embed sustainability into mainstream
capital markets. Generation bases its
investment approach on the idea that sustainability
factors - economic, environmental, social and
governance criteria - will drive a company's
returns over the long term. In this session learn how
integrating sustainability issues with traditional
analysis can lead to superior investment returns.
In My Right Mind: How Photography
Balances the Scientific Brain
Physician Richard Perkins '61 will detail how
photography has been a life- and sanity-sparing
diversion for him since childhood and how it has
grown into a potential second career. Dick will take the audience through
some basic photographic principles and, with the aid of visual materials, will
illustrate his journey.
A History of Terrorism
Ten years after the 9/11 attacks, the United States is still fighting in multiple
locations in an effort to prevent future terrorism, yet many people still have
difficulty understanding the nature of the threat. Jon House '71, professor of
military history at the Army's Command and General Staff College and a
former intelligence analyst at the Pentagon, will survey the history and
enduring issues associated with this phenomenon.
Financial Success - It's Not About The Money
Join us for a panel with 1976 classmates Brian Gelber, Rob Morris and Henry
Bedford. Brian serves as the chairman and president of the Gelber Group in
Chicago and has been featured in works such as Jack D. Schwager's Market
Wizards for his expertise as a trader. Rob is managing partner of Olympus
Partners, a $3.1-billion private equity firm he founded in 1988. Henry served
as a senior portfolio manager for Moore Capital Management and as a trader
with Caxton Associates and Goldman Sachs. Each panelist will share
insights on several topics, including the management of Hamilton's endowment.
The session will be moderated by Walt Stugis, a vice president and
principal consultant with the Institute for Nonprofit Excellence.
Changes in the Publishing World Throughout
the Last 25 Years
Building on a successful career at Harper's Magazine, Al
Prettyman '56 founded Emerson Hall Publishers in 1969
to publish books in the social and behavioral sciences
that deal primarily with the black experience. Come
hear Al share his insights into how technology and other influences are
impacting the field of publishing.
Healthcare in the 21st Century
Max Stachura '61 and Mike Ryan '61 will review the changes in medicine
throughout the last 50 years that have brought unimagined possibilities in
visualization, robotic surgery, laser procedures and other techniques that
shorten recovery times. As advances were made, health-care delivery has
been consolidated and developed into large, multi-hospital systems that have
affected the relationships among patients, doctors and hospitals. A discussion
on changes that might be seen in the next 50 years will follow.
Class of 1966 Short Presentations
Bob Bilheimer '66 will talk about his documentary films and show some clips
from A Closer Walk and Not My Life, which give a virtual oral history of two
of the defining human rights issue of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
John Nichols '66 will speak on his work teaching and writing about Native
American culture past and present. Andy Horton '66 will discuss screenwriting
and share clips of his film Dark Side of the Sun starring Brad Pitt.
Challenges and Dilemmas in Humanitarian Response Work
Michael Klosson '71, former U.S. ambassador to Cyprus, will focus on the
dilemmas nongovernmental organizations such as Save the Children face in
working to help vulnerable children in emergency circumstances, such as the
recent earthquake in Haiti and floods in Pakistan, as well as in addressing
hunger, and maternal and child mortality in circumstances of enduring
poverty.
Getting to Green: An Introduction to Sustainable Design
After Hamilton, Lindsay Suter '86 studied design in Denmark, England and at
Yale's School of Architecture, and went on to teach furniture and product
design, architectural history and studio courses at the California College of
Arts & Crafts, Roger Williams University and Yale University. Formed in 1998,
his design firm focuses on integrating traditional and vernacular methods with
sustainable design principles in both architecture and furniture manufacture.
Heads Up - Our Psychedelic Future
and the Coming Neurosingularity The Lancet, Scientific American, The Chronicle of
Higher Education and The Monitor (American
Psychological Association) all report that
psychedelics are making a comeback, not as
previously on the street but now in university
research labs and medical schools. Tom Roberts '61
will discuss these various indications for psychotherapy
(e.g., PTSD, death anxiety and addictions)
and speculate on implications for cognition
and intelligence, values and motivation, and boosting the immune system.
Do entheogen-induced mystical experiences portend a transition from our
current era of text-based religion to a future era of direct primary religious
experience?
Tackling the Food Allergy Epidemic
More than 12 million Americans suffer from food
allergies - a figure that some studies show has
doubled over the past decade, especially among
children. Hugh Sampson '71, the Kurt Hirschhorn
Professor of Pediatrics and director of the Jaffe
Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai Medical
Center, will discuss theories about why food
allergies are on the rise and describe promising
new treatments now in clinical trials.
Social Media - Here to Stay or Will it Fade Away?
Steve Haweeli '76, founder and president of WordHampton Public Relations,
will give an overview of the social media revolution and coming trends.
Red Summer: The Summer of 1919 and
the Awakening of Black America
After World War I, black Americans fervently hoped
for peace, prosperity and equality. Black soldiers
believed their participation finally earned them rights
they had been promised since the close of the Civil War.
Instead, an unprecedented wave of anti-black riots
swept the country. Blacks responded by fighting back
with intensity and determination never seen before. Join
Cameron McWhirter '86, who will discuss his new Red Summer book.
TV Sitcom Pilot Kosher Pig
Moon Cho '91 will present her pilot for Kosher
Pig, an independent family sitcom that takes a
hilarious look at Chinese and Jewish American
cultures and identity in contemporary America.
From College Hill to Capitol Hill:
A Discussion of American Politics
Members of the Class of '06 Paul Bleiberg, legislative director, Congressman
Reid Ribble (R-Wis.); Ann Horwitz, 2008 campaign staffer, John Edwards for
President; and Ian Mandel, senior associate at New Partners Consulting, will
discuss their careers in politics, the upcoming presidential election and other
political hot topics. Moderated by Jon Kuhl
'06, speaker and congressional affairs
manager, Envision EMI.
A Life in Politics
Join former Delaware Governor Mike
Castle '61, for a discussion of his long and
distinguished political career. Castle served
two terms as governor, from 1985 to 1992.
He is the longest-tenured representative in
the state's history, holding office from 1993
to 2011. Castle was also a member of the
Delaware General Assembly, first in the State House of Representatives
and then in the State Senate.
Hamilton Then and Now:
A Discussion Sponsored
by the Class of 1991 The Sterile Cuckoo, based on the
novel by John Nichols '62, filmed on
College Hill in 1968 with Hamilton
and Kirkland student extras, marks a
seminal moment in the life of the
College. Replete with images and
scenes from campus, the movie is a testament to what we all hold most dear
about our experience on the Hill. Alumni may recall houseparties and love
stories similar to the ones depicted in the movie. That was then. Join
members of the Class of 1991 and current Hamilton students for a discussion
about the Hamilton depicted in The Sterile Cuckoo, Hamilton in 1991 and
Hamilton today.
Urban Redevelopment and the Process of Revitalization
Hamilton alumni have experienced the complex tragedy of urban blight
from different perspectives. The panelists, Don Fram '75, Patricia Louis-
Sampson '81, Bill Purcell '76 and Chuck Tint '76, will describe the varied and
important roles they have played in coming up with solutions and the
practical issues that remain to be addressed.
Fruit of the Vine Reading and Book Signing
Cynthia Kolko '91 will talk about and sign copies
of her debut novel Fruit of the Vine, a story of
responsibility and renewal set among the vineyards
of rural New York State. Samplings of local wines
will be provided.
The Voyage of Life: A Poetry Reading
Jay Williams '54, P'83, GP'11, the Walcott-Bartlett
Professor of Religious Studies, has taught at Hamilton
for 51 years, offering courses in both Western and
Eastern religious thought. In this presentation,
however, he turns from facts, theories and beliefs to
read some of his own poetry. The reading will be
organized around Thomas Cole's four pictures, The
Voyage of Life, on display at the Munson-Williams-
Proctor Arts Institute, and will ask the basic question
that never quite goes away: Who, after all, am I?