Black Hills State University Hosts Lecture Program

After a nearly three-year hiatus, Black Hills State University is once again home to Geek Speak; a free series of lectures presented by faculty and open to the public that promise to unleash the geek in even the most stoic attendee.  

Founded in 2013 by Dr. Courtney Huse Wika, professor of English at BHSU, and sponsored by the University Honors Program, Geek Speak seeks to provide attendants with engaging and thought-provoking lectures that spark discussion and action.  

Despite the break, Geek Speak is ready to hit the ground running this semester. Dr. Katrina Jensen, associate professor of chemistry at BHSU and director of the Honors Program, said of Geek Speak’s return, “It means a lot to the University Honors Program to be bringing back this popular event, as it exemplifies the program’s goals of academic excellence and community building.” 

Presenting topics from the nature of free will to the origins of beloved holidays; students, staff, and community members can find Geek Speak in Jonas Hall Room 110 Mondays starting Oct. 3 through to Nov. 28 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Professor Baum’s lecture will be held in Woodburn Hall Room 308 on Nov. 14 at the regular time. 

A full list of upcoming Geek Speak sessions can be found at BHSU.edu/GeekSpeak.

Upcoming Sessions

October 3: Karl Lehmen 
Vincent Figchurch and the Ogre Walrus: Secrets Stolen from a World Champion Oral Storyteller 

October 17: Dr. Ryan Clark 
You Don’t Have Free Will (and why that’s OK) 

October 24: Dr. Andrey Reznikov  
What Is Language? A Linguist’s Explanation of Human, Verbal Communication 

October 31: Dr. Laura Colmenero Chilberg 
Trick-or-Treating, Jack-o-Lanterns, and Feeding the Dead: How the Ancient Roots of Halloween Connect to Present Day 

November 7: Kelly Kirk, Dr. Courtney Huse Wika, and Professor Gina Gibson 
Veterans Legacy Program Graphic Novel Academy Exhibit and Artist Q&A 

November 14 (IN WOODBURN HALL): Professor Michael Baum 
The Art of the Printing Press with Demonstration 

November 28: Dr. Thomas Weyant 
We Wish You a Sixties Christmas: Politics and Culture in Sixties Christmas Specials 

For more information, refer to Dr. Jensen at Katrina.Jensen@BHSU.edu