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 The World Affairs Athenaeum was established in 1999 as a means of extending the cultural, intellectual environment of the Conference on World Affairs throughout the academic year. While the Conference hosts over 100 speakers and performers during one week in April, the Athenaeum is designed to focus on individual distinguished guests, and these visits are scheduled throughout the fall and spring semesters. An Athenaeum guest lecturer interacts with students in both formal and informal settings over a two or three day period. Athenaeum programs are an interdisciplinary exploration of ideas, drawing together students from various schools and colleges on the Boulder campus. Notable guests not only inspire students, but also find the Athenaeum to be a personally rewarding and exhilarating experience.

Athenaeum guest lecturers are hosted by two Athenaeum Student Fellows during the two or three day program. The Student Fellows are responsible for planning events and providing hospitality. An Athenaeum program typically includes classroom visits, symposia, a public lecture, and a catered student dinner. There is a particular focus on personal exchanges between students and speakers.

Students, please watch the Buff Bulletin for announcements of Athenaeum events. Contact us at ath@colorado.edu for more information or to request to be added to the Athenaeum e-list.

Community members (non-students) who would like to be notified of the Athenaeum and CWA public events, may contact cwa@colorado.edu to ask to be added to the "CWA Fans" e-list.



Past Participants

2008-2009
    Stoll John Cameron Mitchell - Golden Globe-nominated filmmaker, writer, actor. Mitchell wrote, directed and starred in the rock musical film Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), for which he received the Best Director and Audience Awards at the Sundance Film Festival. John was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor.

    He was executive producer of Johnathan Caouette's autobiographical film Tarnation (2004), which won Best Documentary from the U.S. National Society of Film Critics. His second film, the sexually frank Shortbus (2006), won various awards at the Athens and Zurich film festivals. As an actor, he appeared in the original Broadway casts of The Secret Garden, Six Degrees of Separation, and Big River. He has directed music videos for the bands Scissor Sisters and Bright Eyes. For his work on LGBT rights, he received the New York State Senate Democrats' "2004 Special Human Rights Award" from David A. Paterson.

    Stoll Bill Reinert - National Manager of Advanced Technology for Toyota Motor Sales, USA. Before taking over Toyota's North American Fuel Cell efforts, Reinert and his team were responsible for Product Planning of the current generation Prius.

    Today, Bill's primary function is to coordinate Toyota's various research, development and marketing activities related to alternative-fueled vehicles and emerging technologies. He is currently working on several advanced hybrid electric products, direct hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, reformed fuel approaches for hydrogen, full-featured electric vehicles, city electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid concepts, ethanol fuels and sustainable transportation systems.

    Stoll Clifford Stoll - Astronomer, educator, computer guru, internet critic, cyberspace sleuth, and chief bottle washer, Acme Klein Bottle. Stoll's bestselling book The Cuckoo’s Egg: Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage chronicles the true story of how he caught a ring of hackers who were stealing U.S. military secrets and selling them to the KGB.
    Blank Les Blank - Critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker. Blank's work provides vivid depictions of a wide range of human appetites, endeavors and obsessions- from music to food and drink. His numerous international awards include Best Feature Documentary from the British Academy for Burden of Dreams, his portrait of director Werner Herzog.

2007-2008
    Seigel Jessica Seigel - Journalist, commentator, editor and humorist. Seigel's award-winning commentary on popular culture and women's issues has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The New York Times, NPR, and Glamour.
    Schoffman Stuart Schoffman - Columnist for the Jerusalem Report and board member of Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem. Schoffman's work supports religious pluralism and equality of opportunity in Israel.
    Schoffman Colonel William Andrews - Colonel Andrews, whose combat tours include Desert Storm, Southern Watch, and Enduring Freedom, currently teaches at the National Defense University. He is also the author of two books on military strategy.
    Jones Terry Jones - Best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy team, Terry Jones is a comedian, screenwriter, actor, film director (including Monty Python's Life of Brian and Monty Python's The Meaning of Life), children's author, popular historian, and political commentator.
    Meloni Christopher Meloni - C.U. alumnus Chris Meloni is an Emmy-nominated actor, with acclaimed credits in both television (NYPD Blue, Law and Order, Oz, Scrubs) and film (Twelve Monkeys, Bound, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle).
2006-2007
    Mark Jonathan Harris – Documentary filmmaker, author and professor at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.

    Don Grusin – Jazz musician, composer, producer and arranger. Grusin has recorded 18 solo albums and produced many more, including the Grammy-winning Musican for Ernie Watts. Grusin received a 2005 Grammy nomination for The Hang and is the recipient of the CU Alumni Association's 2006 George Norlin Award for distinguished lifetime achievement.

    Stephen Okazaki – Academy Award and Peabody Award winning documentary filmmaker. Okazaki’s film shorts include Days of Waiting and The Mushroom Club.

    Armand "Sheik" Richardson – Jazz musician, photographer, and tenth generation New Orleanian, is founder of the Arabi Wrecking Krewe, a band of musician volunteers who offer assistance to hurricane victims.

    Joy Zarembka – Executive Director, Break The Chain Campaign, Institute for Policy Studies, an organization working to end modern-day slavery and human trafficking in the United States.

2005-2006
    Charles Burnett – MacArthur Award winning filmmaker and writer. Burnett's morally complex films include To Sleep With Anger and Killer of Sheep, which has been declared a national treasure by the Library of Congress.

    Derek Nash – World-renowned jazz saxophonist and composer. Nash's original composition "Flatirons Suite" is a tribute to Boulder, inspired by his participation in the Conference on World Affairs.

    Shaul Gabbay & Amin Kazak – International Affairs professors of the course "Israel and Palestine: Peace in the Middle East from Two Perspectives." Gabbay is a former commander in the Israeli Infantry, and Kazak studied for his doctorate as a Palestinian refugee in Beirut.

    Simon Deng & Brian Steidle – Former Sudanese slave Deng and former U.S. Marines Captain Steidle raise public awareness about the genocide in Sudan.
2004-2005
    Governor George Ryan – Former Illinois Governor who commuted the sentences of 167 death row inmates before leaving office. Katy Chevigny and Kirsten Johnson – Filmmakers of the documentary Deadline about former Illinois Governor Ryan’s decision to commute the sentences of 167 death row inmates.

    Eve Ensler – Creator of the Vagina Monologues; founder of “V-day,” a global movement to increase awareness of women’s issues through anti-violence organizations.

    George Butler – British born documentary film maker of Pumping Iron about body builder Arnold Schwarzenegger and Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry.

    Simon Hoggart – Parliamentary sketch writer for The Guardian, London.

    Christopher Trumbo – Author of Trumbo: Red, White and Blacklisted about his father's experiences as a Hollywood screenwriter during the McCarthy era.
2003- 2004
    Godfrey Reggio – Filmmaker of the Qatsi trilogy, including Koyaanisqatsi, Powwaqatsi, and Naqoyqatsi.

    Clay Johnson – White House Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Budget and Management; formerly Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel and Chief of Staff for Governor Bush of Texas.

    Sister Helen Prejean – Death penalty activist and author of the Pulitzer Prize nominated book Dead Man Walking, which inspired the Academy Award winning film by the same title.

    Giandomenico Picco –An Italian UN diplomat who successfully negotiated crises associated with Afghanistan/Soviet-Russia War, Iran/ Iraq War and the Lebanon hostage crisis.

    Adam Hochschild – Writer and founding editor of Mother Jones magazine. Author of Bury the Chains: Prophets and Rebels in the Fight to Free an Empire's Slaves and King Leopold's Ghost.
2002-2003
    Marco Williams & Whitney Dow – Filmmakers of The Two Towns of Jasper, a documentary about the racially motivated killing of James Bird in the town of Jasper, Texas.

    Anna & Frances Lappé – Authors of Diet for a Small Planet and Hope’s Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet.

    Sanho Tree – Fellow and Director of the Drug Policy Project at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC.

    Tim Long – Co-Executive Producer and writer for The Simpsons.

    Rick Reilly – Author of Who’s Your Caddy, among other titles; columnist for Sports Illustrated.
2001-2002
    Daniel C. Dennett – Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, and Director of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University.

    Deirdre McCloskey –Professor of Economics, English, and History at the University of Chicago; author of Crossing: A Memoir.

    Janet Breslin-Smith – Chair of the National Security Policy Department at the National Defense University.

    Margot Adler – National Public Radio Correspondent; author of Drawing Down the Moon.

    Gary Hart – Former Senator and co-author of the Hart-Rudman Report on Homeland Security.
2000-2001
    Werner Herzog – Internationally renowned documentary and feature filmmaker, including Aguirre: The Wrath of God.

    Jed Purdy – Author of For Common Things: Irony, Trust, and Commitment.

    Patch Adams – Humanist healer and author of Gesundheit! and founder of the Gesundheit Institute.

    Judith Kipper – Director of Middle East Studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

    Charles Clements – Member of Physicians for Human Rights and activist on water and landmine issues.
1999-2000
    Susan Faludi – Author of Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women and Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Male.

    Richard Rodriguez – Social commentator and essayist, Lehrer News Hour; author of Brown: The Last Discovery of America.

    Peter Copeland – Editor and General Manager of Scripps-Howard News Services.

 

       
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