About the Series

In 2007, the Dean’s Advancement Council of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences provided funding to establish the Voyages of Discovery Series. The series advances the spirit of exploration and discovery that is the hallmark of the arts and sciences, and has become the premier intellectual event for students and faculty of ECU, the citizens of eastern North Carolina, and a showcase for the quality of academic life at ECU. Each year, the series features thought-provoking and accomplished leaders from a variety of disciplines who provide insight into important issues in today’s society, and who share their experiences and perspectives.

2020-2021 Season: Climate, Water and the Environment

A Note about Tickets from the Director

Due to the uncertainties we face for in-person events at ECU, at this time, we are not processing any Voyages tickets. For individuals who previously requested tickets by mail, you will receive a follow-up email about your inquiry. We will update this site as new information becomes available for the two events scheduled for the spring. I am deeply grateful for your support of the Voyages Series as well as your patience during these unusual times.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jeffrey Johnson, Director

Voyages of Discovery Series

Event Notes

In an effort to protect our community and ensure the safety of our friends, supporters, students, faculty, and staff, and in accordance with ECU and UNC System guidance, Harriot College will work with campus staff to ensure proper safety precautions for in-person events.

Beginning July 1, faculty, staff, students and visitors to campus are expected to wear a face covering. Visit the “Return of Pirate Nation: Guidelines for Campus Safety” website for additional information.

Event dates, times, and locations are subject to change.



Free Gift to First 300 Households to Donate or Purchase Tickets:

Given this season’s environmental theme, the first 300 households to donate $25 or more to Voyages, or purchase tickets to an event, will receive a FREE 20th-anniversary print issue of the North Carolina Literary Review. This issue (2011) features a full-color section on environmental writing and content from former Voyages of Discovery guest Bland Simpson.

View this issue’s table of contents.

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe Climate Scientist, Texas Tech University “Climate Change: A Threat Multiplier” September 17, 2020

7 p.m. EST (US and Canada) | A live-streaming, 1-hour lecture event with a 30-minute Q&A Register in advance for this Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0kcOCtqDotE9NwmZxBSWq0dQSs-xzvnY_e After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For generations, human civilization has been building a climate debt, borrowing from the stability of the future to power the economic growth of the present. Through fossil fuel combustion and land-use change, we have disrupted the carbon cycle, overwhelming the influence of natural forcing on Earth’s climate. As heat accumulates in the climate system, it drives long-term increases in temperature and sea level, and super-charges hurricanes, heat waves, and heavy precipitation events. These changes, in turn, exacerbate poverty, hunger, disease, refugee crises and more. Today, the choice is stark: can we do what it takes to avoid widespread dangerous change? Or will we remain mired in inaction until the full cost of this unprecedented experiment we’re conducting with our planet falls due? Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist whose research focuses on developing and applying high-resolution climate projections to understand what climate change means for people and the natural environment. She is the Endowed Professor in Public Policy and Public Law in the Department of Political Science and co-directs the Climate Center at Texas Tech University. She holds a B.S. in physics from the University of Toronto and an M.S. and Ph.D. in atmospheric science from the University of Illinois as well as honorary doctorates from Colgate University and from Victoria College at the University of Toronto. Hayhoe has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and served as a lead author for the Second, Third, and Fourth U.S. National Climate Assessments. She serves on a broad range of scientific advisory boards, from the Smithsonian Natural History Museum to Engie, and has received the National Center for Science Education’s Friend of the Planet award, the American Geophysical Union’s Climate Communication Prize, the Sierra Club’s Distinguished Service award, and the Stephen H Schneider Climate Communication Award, and has been recognized as one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential People, Fortune’s 50 Worlds Greatest Leaders, and the United Nation Champion of the Earth in Science and Innovation.

Voyages of Discovery Speaker Receptions Join us for a special access reception with Voyages of Discovery speakers Bilott and Shepherd immediately before their main evening event. Guests will have an opportunity to interact with the speakers and enjoy refreshments in an intimate environment. Receptions, which will have limited attendance, will include an autographed book (when available), heavy hors d’oeuvres, and wine and beer. Reception tickets are not available at this time. Check back later this fall for further information.

Mr. Robert Bilott Environmental Attorney and inspiration behind the critically acclaimed film “Dark Waters,” starring Academy Award-winning actor Mark Ruffalo “Dark Waters: The Story Behind the Environmental Legal Battle Exposing Corporate Coverup” February 4, 2021

7 p.m. | Main Campus Student Center Ballroom The New York Times called Robert Bilott, “The lawyer who became DuPont’s worst nightmare.” Bilott, a distinguished environmental attorney, shares the unsettling story of his epic battle against DuPont and how he exposed corporate coverup and massive chemical contamination of unprecedented scale and scope, now impacting virtually every living thing on this planet. Drawing from his book, “Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle Against DuPont,” Bilott takes audiences through the unforgettable legal drama about malice, manipulation, and perseverance against the failings of environmental regulation. To date, Bilott, a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, has helped secure more than $1 billion in benefits for his clients exposed to contaminated drinking water. Among his many honors, Bilott was selected as one of the best lawyers in America for several years running, and in 2017, received the Right Livelihood Award, commonly known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize.” Speaker Reception 5-6:30 p.m. | Main Campus Student Center, Room 249

Business casual attire. Includes autographed book, heavy hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer.