This article is from the archives of the UB Reporter.
Word of Mouth
Who would you like to see in next year’s Distinguished Speakers Series?
Scroll down to "post a comment" and tell us what you think.
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I would like to hear Jane McGonigal, a game designer, games researcher and author. I would be intrigued to hear more from someone who designs games with the belief that playing games can address social issues and improve our well-being.
Suzanne Chamberlain
Senior Director for External Affairs
Office of Economic Engagement 
Brian Williams, NBC News anchor. In my opinion, he’s a class act in his field. I appreciate his stance on environmental issues and I think he’d have interesting stories to share. Also, I don’t know if you would call him a “distinguished speaker,” but Russell Brand would be a major draw…and a riot!
Patty Starr
Assistant Director for Volunteer and Student Programs
Office of Alumni Relations
My first thought is Bill or Melinda Gates. My second is Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Someone from amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, would be good, such as global fundraising chairman Sharon Stone, or Liza Minnelli or Whoopi Goldberg, both of whom have received awards of courage from amfAR. Theresa McGovern is a very interesting person and would be thought-provoking in light of her work toward equal access to medical care, linkages between poverty, HIV/AIDS and inequality, and her work on modeling resistance to fundamentalist violence (after her mother died in the 9/11 attacks in New York City).
Amy Jacobs
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
More Word of Mouth
- What's one New Year's resolution you were able to stick with?
- What’s the best and the worst of the holiday season?
- What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving season?
- Today marks the 10th anniversary of the release of Apple’s iPod. How has this device changed the way you, or others, listen to music?
- What's your favorite scary movie or book?
Reader Comments
Arun Jain says:
I would like to invite the brilliant author Matt Ridley. Matt Ridley's books have been shortlisted for six literary awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize (for Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters). His most recent book, The Agile Gene: How Nature Turns on Nurture, won the award for the best science book published in 2003 from the National Academies of Science. He has been a scientist, a journalist, and a national newspaper columnist, and is the chairman of the International Centre for Life, in Newcastle, England. Matt Ridley is also a visiting professor at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York.
Posted by Arun Jain, Samuel P. Capen Professor of Marketing Research, 05/05/11
Susan Moskal says:
Gerda Weissmann Klein
Posted by Susan Moskal, Secretary 1, 05/02/11
Kathy O'Donnell says:
I would love to see Kathryn Stockett, author of 'The Help.'
Posted by Kathy O'Donnell, Adjunct Assistant Professor, 04/22/11
Elizabeth Shisler says:
Ellen DeGeneres!
Posted by Elizabeth Shisler, Senior Staff Assistant, 04/21/11
Bill Wachob says:
I'd like to see Patch Adams invited. Patch (http://www.patchadams.org/patch-adams) is a medical doctor whose Gesundheit Institute and wholistic philosophy of health care, some of which was captured in a movie starring Robin Williams a decade ago, would result in a fascinating, informative, provocative talk. This is still so timely, and so worthwhile while also supporting development of a significant alternative model for innovative, humane, loving, effective health care, that I'm not sure why he hasn't to date been invited. Why not have the fee go to this cause, along with all of the money that has gone to the numerous already quite wealthy politicians and military figures who have been invited here over the years?
Posted by Bill Wachob, Senior Assistant Dean, School of Nursing, 04/21/11