Society of Skeptics
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I see Skeptics as a way to bring the world to Blair students and, in doing so, help inspire them to tackle the problems of the world around us.
Jason beck, director of Blair's Society of Skeptics
Blair’s Society of Skeptics program was established as a forum for students and faculty to discuss and debate important global issues; it has grown to become one of the premier high school lecture series in the United States. Without exception, every Tuesday night at 7 p.m., speakers from the political, social, scientific, economic and literary arenas come to campus to share their unique perspectives with students, who are encouraged to engage with presenters, ask questions and debate points of view.
The program's roots date back to the late 1970s when former history department chair Elliott Trommald, PhD, Hon. ’65, established a regular forum for student discussion and debate. History teacher Martin Miller, PhD, took over in the mid-1980s and molded the program into an acclaimed weekly lecture series. Since Dr. Miller’s retirement from Blair in 2020, history department chair Jason Beck has led the Society of Skeptics, and the program has continued without interruption.
At Skeptics, students learn to listen critically to different perspectives; equally important, they are encouraged to engage in provocative question-and-answer sessions, and discussions about Tuesday-evening presentations often extend into Wednesday as students and teachers continue to debate salient issues in classrooms and dormitories. Annual lectures include the endowed annual Herman Hollerith Lecture on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, the James Youngelson ’53 Lecture on Ethics and Responsibility, as well as a young alumni panel that shares post-Blair academic and professional experiences and perspectives.
Many students make it a point to attend every Skeptics lecture throughout the year; by participating regularly in the program, students demonstrate that they can direct their own learning, engage with the world beyond Blair, and place what they are learning in the classroom into a larger global context. For more information about upcoming speakers, to read about some of the program's most popular lecturers and to view an archive of recent speakers, please click on the buttons above.
This program is funded in part by The Class of 1968 Society of Skeptics Endowment Fund.
Skeptics Calendar
April 2025
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Mon
Tue
Wed
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Sat
Sunday, March 30
Monday, March 31
Tuesday, April 1
Wednesday, April 2
Thursday, April 3
Friday, April 4
Saturday, April 5
Sunday, April 6
Monday, April 7
Tuesday, April 8
Wednesday, April 9
Thursday, April 10
Friday, April 11
Saturday, April 12
Sunday, April 13
Monday, April 14
Tuesday, April 15
Wednesday, April 16
Thursday, April 17
Friday, April 18
Saturday, April 19
Sunday, April 20
Monday, April 21
Tuesday, April 22
Wednesday, April 23
Thursday, April 24
Friday, April 25
Saturday, April 26
Sunday, April 27
Monday, April 28
Tuesday, April 29
Wednesday, April 30
Thursday, May 1
Friday, May 2
Saturday, May 3
Upcoming Speakers
Society of Skeptics: Dr. Kathleen Wawrzyniak Webb '95
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Chiang-Elghanayan Center For Innovation & Collaboration
Society of Skeptics: Kelvin Serem '13
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Chiang-Elghanayan Center For Innovation & Collaboration
Recent Speakers
Author Putsata Reang, whose family narrowly escaped the infamous Khmer Rouge—the Cambodian Communist regime in the late 1960s—will join the Society of Skeptics on Tuesday, April 8, to share her story.
On Tuesday, April 1, Skeptics attendees will have the privilege of hearing from Waggonner & Ball senior architect and project manager, Dixon Jelich ’07. In his first Skeptics event, Mr. Jelich plans to discuss how his career in architecture began—tracing it back to an opportunity he had while attending Blair.
On March 25, Army veteran and celebrated author Will Bardenwerper joined Blair's Society of Skeptics to discuss his service as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, his experience in international public policy and at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and his work as an author.