The George Gamow Memorial Lectures honor the eminent Russian-born physicist who joined the faculty of the Department of Physics at the University of Colorado in 1956. He brought enormous enthusiasm and breadth to the teaching of both undergraduate courses for nonscience majors and graduate courses and seminars. He continued his research and his writing up to the time of his death in 1968.

The George Gamow Memorial Lectures were initiated by the Department of Physics and Mrs. Barbara Gamow after the death of her husband. Barbara Gamow died in December 1975. In her will she left an endowment to the Regents of the University of Colorado for the purpose of maintaining these free public science lectures at the University of Colorado in Boulder. The Lecture of 1978 and all subsequent Lectures have been supported by this generous bequest.

2010 Richard Alley "Learning While Burning: Peak (whale) Oil, Changing Climate and Our Future"