Skip to Content
University at Buffalo (UB)
University at Buffalo (UB)
UB Distinguished Speakers Series
Join our mailing list
Toggle Navigation Menu
8/21/24
Speakers
10/8/24
Tickets
8/8/24
Visitor Info
8/8/24
About
8/21/24
Speakers
10/8/24
Tickets
8/8/24
Visitor Info
8/8/24
About
Join our mailing list
UB Distinguished Speakers Series
Join our mailing list
UB Distinguished Speakers Series
>
About
>
Past Speakers
>
2010-11 through 2019-20
About
Past Speakers
2020-21 through 2023-24
2010-11 through 2019-20
2000-01 through 2009-10
1990-91 through 1999-00
1987-88 through 1989-90
Support & Funding
Our Sponsors
Contact Us
2010-11 through 2019-20
2019-20
Nyle DiMarco
- Deaf Activist and Winner of “America’s Next Top Model” and “Dancing with the Stars”
Maggie Haberman
- New York Times White House Correspondent and Pulitzer Prize Winner
Yusef Salaam*
- Criminal Justice Advocate and Member of the Central Park Five
Daymond John
- “Shark Tank” Investor, Entrepreneur and FUBU CEO
Jeff Corwin (Cancelled)
- Host of “Ocean Mysteries,” Renowned Conservationist and Environmental Journalist
2018-19
Joe Biden
- 47th Vice President of the United States (2009-17)
Peter Diamandis
- Executive Chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation
Lisa Genova
-
Neuroscientist and Bestselling Author of “Still Alice”
Angela Davis*
-
Social Equality Activist and Author
Ronan Farrow
- Pulitzer Prize-Winning Investigative Reporter
Condoleezza Rice
- U.S. Secretary of State (2005-09)
2017-18
Malala Yousafzai
- Girls Education Activist and Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Theresa Payton
- Former White House CIO and Cyber Security CEO
Jesse Williams
-
Acclaimed Actor, Political Activist and Documentarian
Susan Rice*
-
Former U.S. National Security Advisor (2013-17)
James Balog -
Global Expert on Climate Change and Founder of the Extreme Ice Survey (EIS)
Alan Alda
- TV Icon and Science Communicator
2016-17
Mark Kelly and Scott Kelly
- Commander of Two NASA Shuttle Missions & America’s 1st Astronaut to Spend a Year in Space
Randi Zuckerberg
- Founder and CEO of Zuckerberg Media; Former Director of Marketing at Facebook
John Cleese
-
Famed Film and Television Comic Actor
Eric H. Holder, Jr.*
-
82nd Attorney General of the United States (2009-15)
Roxane Gay -
Bestselling Author, Cultural Critic and Professor
Brandon Stanton
- Creator of
“Humans of New York” (HONY)
2015-16
Laverne Cox
– Transgender Advocate and Award-Winning Actress
Liz Murray
- Author of the 2016 UB Reads Selection "Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard”
John Legend
– Academy Award-Winning Songwriter, Singer, Musician, Producer, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur
Charles Ogletree*
– Internationally Renowned Legal Theorist
Siddhartha Mukherjee
– Cancer Physician, Researcher and Author of the Pulitzer Prize-Winning “The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer”
Kevin Spacey
– Academy Award-Winning Actor, Star of "House of Cards," Producer, and Former Artistic Director of London's Old Vic Theatre
2014-15
Cheryl Strayed
- Author of the New York Times #1 Bestseller, "Wild"
Wes Moore
- Youth Advocate and Combat Veteran; Author of the 2015 UB Reads Selection: "The Other Wes Moore"
John Oliver
- Comedian, Political Satirist and Star of HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"
Earvin "Magic" Johnson*
- NBA Hall-of-Famer, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist
Robert Ballard
- Oceanographer and Discoverer of the Titanic
Steve Wozniak
- Cofounder of Apple Computer, Inc. and Chief Scientist of Primary Data
2013-14
Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Former Secretary of State and Former U.S. Senator from New York
Michio Kaku
- Theoretical Physicist and Bestselling Author
Malcolm Gladwell
- Best-selling Author and Staff Writer for The New Yorker; Author of the 2013 UB Reads Selection: "The Tipping Point"
Mary Frances Berry*
- Author, Educator and Historian, AND
Diane Nash*
- Civil Rights and Peace Activist
Sanjay Gupta
- Chief Medical Correspondent for CNN
David Blaine
- Endurance Artist and World Renowned Magician
2012-13
David Brooks
- OpEd Columnist, New York Times; Political/Social Analyst, "PBS NewsHour" and NPR's "All Things Considered"
Laura Bush
- First Lady of the United States, 2001-2009; Advocate for Education, Health Care and Human Rights
Blake Mycoskie
- TOMS Founder and Chief Shoe Giver; Author of the 2012 UB Reads Selection: "Start Something That Matters"
Walter Mosley*
- Novelist and Social Commentator
Steven Pinker
- World Renowned Cognitive Scientist
Steve Martin
- Actor, Comedian, Author, Playwright, Producer and Musician
2011-12
Robert Gates
- U.S. Secretary of Defense (2006-11)
Michael J. Fox
- Award-Winning Actor; Founder of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research
Judy Shepard
- Activist; Author of the 2011 UB Reads Selection - "The Meaning of Matthew"
Soledad O'Brien*
- CNN Anchor and Special Correspondent
Mary Robinson
- President of Ireland (1990-97); Past U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights
Lance Armstrong
- Seven-Time Tour de France Winner; Founder of the Lance Armstrong Foundation
2010-11
Arianna Huffington
- Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Huffington Post
Mary Matalin
- Political Strategist; Contributor, CNN
Sylvia Earle
- Oceanographer; Explorer; Author
Greg Mortenson
- Co-Author of the Best-Selling, 2010 UB Reads Selection - "Three Cups of Tea"
Arnold Schwarzenegger
- 38th Governor of California
Jhumpa Lahiri
- Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author
Cory Booker*
- Mayor of Newark, New Jersey
J. Craig Venter
- Pioneering Genomic Researcher
* Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Speaker