Lecture Series History: 2017
In 2017, the Natural History Museum of Utah's annual Lecture Series explored the topic of Food. Read on to learn more about the theme and speakers.
About the 2017 Lecture Series
NHMU is pleased to present the 2017 Lecture Series: Food.
If we truly are what we eat, then reinventing our food systems to produce enough food safely, ethically, and sustainably could very well define us for generations to come. Please join us as we hear from four preeminent minds who are immersed in the world of food production and its impact on the planet's seven billion people. Over the course of five lectures, we will explore a range of topics regarding what's on our plates, how it gets there, who's at the table, and who's missing.
2017 Speakers
Andrew Zimmern
Food: A Global Perspective on the State of our Food Life
TV personality, chef, food writer, teacher, and three-time James Beard Award-winner Andrew Zimmern is widely regarded as one of the most versatile and knowledgeable personalities in the food world. As the creator and host of Travel Channel’s hit series, Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre World, and Bizarre Foods America, Zimmern travels the globe, exploring food and its terroir. From world-class restaurants to street carts and jungle markets, he is all about discovering and sharing an authentic experience. Join Zimmern for a fascinating interpretation of the way we live our lives through food, and how we might better understand what and how we eat to make better choices for our futures.
Caleb Harper
Reinventing Our Food Future with Urban Farms
2015 National Geographic emerging explorer, Caleb Harper has taken the forefront of futuristic farming as the leader of a diverse group of engineers, architects, and scientists in the exploration and development of future food systems. As the climate changes and water becomes scarce in many parts of the world, growing enough food to feed a growing population will be a challenge. Harper is working to solve this problem by using technology to re-envision the way we grow our food and move farms into our cities. Join Harper in imagining a world in which food can be farmed from anywhere via a personal food computer, and your plants can send you a tweet when you’re away to tell you how they’re doing. Hear how it’s all possible. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the lecture will start promptly at 7 p.m.
Naomi Starkman
The Rise of the Good Food Movement
Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Civil Eats, the James Beard Award-winning daily news source for critical thought about the American food system, Naomi Starkman is quickly becoming one of the leading minds in reimagining the way we think and talk about food. In the decade following the publication of Michael Pollan’s The Omnivore’s Dilemma, a movement has grown demanding good, clean, and fair food for all. Now more than ever, people are demanding truth, trust, and transparency about their food. Join Starkman, called “one of the most influential” people in the food movement by Pollan, as she outlines the social, economic, and cultural underpinnings of the Good Food Movement as well as its impact on regulation, business, and communities. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the lecture will start promptly at 7 p.m.
Diana Cox-Foster
Bees, Essential Keystones Supporting Our Food: Are They in Danger?
Pollinated crops feed millions of people by providing the world its fruit, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and oils. But pollinators, such as bees, have been dying off at an unprecedented rate. In our delicate food ecosystem, this loss can have devastating effects. An expert on honey bees, bumble bees, blue orchard bees, and alfalfa leaf-cutting bees, Dr. Diana Cox-Foster has pioneered research on pollinators and their vital role in our food system. Join Dr. Cox-Foster, Research Leader and Research Entomologist at Utah State University, as she illuminates the work being done to understand and solve pollination management issues in the United States and around the world.
2017 Series Sponsors
Founding Underwriter
R. Harold Burton Foundation
Underwriter
Cultural Vision Fund
Gold Sponsor
Rio Tinto Kennecott
Silver Sponsors
The Clark Foundation
Kent C. and Martha H. DiFiore Family Foundation
The M Lazy M Foundation
Media Partner
KCPW 88.3FM | 105.5FM Public Radio
Community Partners
The City Library
Kingsbury Hall
Liberty Heights Fresh
Viridian Center
Institutional Support
Salt Lake County Zoo, Arts & Parks