The President's Lecture Series aims to engage and inspire the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Mellon community on issues of emerging and preeminent relevance to society. The series, launched by President Farnam Jahanian in 2023, brings a curated list of thought leaders and world leaders to campus over the academic year.
Upcoming Lectures
Ambassador Rahm Emanuel
November 16, 2026
Douglas Brinkley
March 4, 2027
Sonia Manzano
April 1, 2027
Past Lectures
"The Combahee River Raid: Finding the Voices Historians Have Not Heard"
Edda Fields-Black
Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Professor, ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Department of History, and Director, Dietrich College Humanities Center
April 13, 2026 | 4 p.m.
"Home Depot: Innovating for the Future"
Ted Decker (GSIA 1993)
CEO and President, Home Depot
March 26, 2026 | 4 p.m.
"From Upheaval to Action: What Works In Changing Higher Education"
Dr. Arthur Levine
President, Brandeis University
January 29, 2026
"ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, CAPTCHA, reCAPTCHA, and Duolingo"
Luis von Ahn (SCS 2003, 2005)
CEO and Co-Founder, Duolingo
Thursday, November 6, 2025 | 4 p.m.
"Leading Through Change: Tech, Leadership and the Future of Innovation"
Rene Haas
Chief Executive Officer, Arm
Monday, August 25, 2025
"The Value Of Narrative Storytelling In Polarized Times"
Hollywood Producer, Writer and Director
Founder of John Wells Productions
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
"We Keep It MOVIN': Navigating Challenges and Triumphs and Inspiring Others Through Storytelling"
Actor, Director and Producer
Monday, February 10, 2025
"America and the World: What's Ahead After the 2024 Election?"
Associate Editor and Foreign Affairs Columnist for The Washington Post
Thursday, January 30, 2025
"Innovation Anywhere, Opportunity Everywhere: Accelerating the Frontiers of Science and Technology"
Director of the U.S. National Science Foundation
Friday, October 11, 2024
"The AI Platform Shift and the Opportunity Ahead"
CEO of Google and Alphabet
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
"Human Rationality and Academic Freedom"
Cognitive Scientist and Professor, Harvard University
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
"Partnering in the Western Hemisphere — Challenges and Opportunities"
General Laura Richardson
Commander, U.S. Southern Command
First Army Female Combatant Commander
Thursday, September 28, 2023