The weekly Society of Skeptics series, which has been in continuous existence since 1977, is one of the premier high school lecture series in the country. The program was an outgrowth of the Blair International Society, begun in 1962, and has served as a forum for the discussion and debate of important national and international issues. Over the past 30-plus years, under the tutelage of Dr. Martin Miller, the weekly lecture series has featured a wide variety of speakers who are engaging, accomplished in their respective fields and often controversial.

All lectures are at 7:00 p.m. in Cowan Auditorium unless otherwise noted. Please check back often for additional speakers and dates.

September 13  
Paul Deegan
Award-winning Author and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society
“Climbing Mt Everest”
Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts

September 20
J.J. Sedelmaier
Animation Designer, Director Producer
Created Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law
Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts

September 27
Vikram Mansharamani
Author, Boombustology
“Spotting Bubbles Before They Burst: Might China Be Next?”

October 4
Brian Shactman
CNBC Anchor
“Business Day Reporting Cigarette Wars”

October 11  
Hudson Taylor
All American Wrestler
“On Tolerance”
Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts

October 18
Seamus McGraw
Author, End of Country
“Fracking Debate: The Marcellus Shale”

October 25
Seni Tienabeso ’01
Producer, ABC News
“Citizen Journalism and How You Can Influence News”

November 8
James Youngelson '53 Lecture in Ethics and Responsibility
Karen Austin
Former Compliance Officer, Louisiana Products
“Ethics in Business”

November 15
Randy White
Professor, NYU
Center for the Study of Human Origins
“Chauvet, France: Man’s Earliest Cave Painting”
Armstrong-Hipkins Center for the Arts

November 29
Vera Fennell
Professor, Lehigh Uiversity, Political Science Department
“China”

December 7 (Wednesday) 
Mike Weiner P ’08 ’11 ’14
Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association
“On Baseball”

January 10 
Young Alumni Forum
Young alumni panelists return to campus to discuss their lives and experiences after Blair, lending career and college advice to current Blair students.

January 16 (Monday) 
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Program

January 24
Marianne Schaper P ’12
Principal Officer, Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division
United Nations Economic Commission on Latin America and the Caribbean
“The Rio (Earth Summit) +20 Years Conference: Seeking Answers to New and Evolving Global Challenges”

January 30
Mohamed El-Erian
CEO and CIO of PIMCO
“Maneuvering Through a Rapidly Changing Economic Landscape”

February 14  
Dr. Rado Pribic
Oliver E. Williams Professor, Lafayette College; Chair, International Affairs Program
“Russia and the West: Cooperation or Confrontation”

February 21 
John Granger
Author, How Harry Cast His Spell
“The Hogwarts Professor”

February 28 
US Army Capt. Steven Benedetti '02
“Afghanistan: Boots on the Ground”

March 27
Jane Ferry M.D.
“The Rising Cost of Health Care”

April 3
Herman Hollerith lecture on Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Jacob Sussman
Creator/President of OwnEnergy Corp.
“Innovative Ways to Locate and Develop Wind Energy Sites”

April 10
John Crowley
President and CEO of Amicus Therapeutics
Author: Chasing Miracles: The Crowley Family Journey of Strength, Hope and Joy (Harrison Ford's 2010 movie "Extraordinary Measures" focuses on the family's struggle against Parre's disease, which afflicts two of the Crowley children.)

April 17
Anis Mojgani
Nationally Acclaimed Poet
“Shake the Dust” performance

April 24
Marc Elliott
“Tourette’s Syndrome/On Tolerance”

May 1
Ambassador Steve E. Steiner
Senior Consultant, United States Institute of Peace
“Empowerment of Women in Iraq and Afghanistan”

For more info on Society of Skeptics speakers, please contact Marty Miller at 908-362-8828 or millem@blair.edu.