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KU Natural History Museum announces fall programming
LAWRENCE — The KU Natural History Museum has a full lineup of science-themed public events this fall for both youth and adults. The programs will cover various topics, including STEM activities related to snakes and fossils, as well as public presentations about the evolutionary biology of jellyfish and the importance of caring for natural history collections. Events will include an all-ages program Sept. 7 for National Hummingbird Day, a series of scholarly talks at Free State Brewing Company for the Science On Tap series and Macabre at the Museum on Oct. 24.
Erik Scott named inaugural John P. Black Professor of History
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of History has announced Erik Scott as the inaugural John P. Black Professor of History. A KU faculty member since 2012, Scott is an award-winning scholar of modern Russia, the Soviet Union and the global Cold War. He is the author of “Defectors: How the Illicit Flight of Soviet Citizens Built the Borders of the Cold War World” (2023) and creator of the website Cold War in the Heartland. The Black Professorship was endowed through a gift by the Black-Cheslik family of Kansas City, Missouri.
Full stories below.
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Contact: Natalie Vondrak, Natural History Museum/Biodiversity Research Institute, [email protected]
KU Natural History Museum announces fall programming
LAWRENCE — The KU Natural History Museum has a full lineup of science-themed public events this fall for both youth and adults. The programs will cover various topics, including STEM activities related to snakes and fossils, as well as public presentations about the evolutionary biology of jellyfish and the importance of caring for natural history collections.
In honor of National Hummingbird Day on Sept. 7, the museum’s outreach team will host Pop-Up Science, a free program with hands-on science activities suitable for all ages, from 2-4 p.m. While exploring the museum, visitors can stop at various stations in the galleries to learn about hummingbirds and what makes them unique.
Other family-friendly events include a program series by the Kansas Postdoctoral Outreach Project, a group of KU postdoctoral researchers bringing science to life through experiments and activities. The series consists of Spectacular Snakes on Sept. 15, Six-Legged Science on Oct. 20 and Weather Science on Nov. 17. All events are 2-4 p.m. at the museum in Dyche Hall.
Science On Tap, a long-running public program in partnership with Free State Brewing Company, returns Sept.18 with “The World’s Mountains are Feeling the Heat,” presented by Sharon Billings, University Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research. The popular program series features an informal research presentation in the brewpub’s beer hall, followed by a Q&A session.
Late fall presenters will include Paulyn Cartwright, Baumgartner Professor of Biology, on Oct. 23 discussing “Invasion of the Freshwater Jellyfish.” On Nov. 20, Andy Bentley, collection manager of ichthyology at the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, will share “Natural History Collections as unique tools to highlight fauna and the complex interactions with their environment.” All Science On Tap events are held at Free State Brewing Company, 636 Massachusetts St., and begin at 7:30 p.m.
In October, the public is invited to celebrate fossils during the event Discovery Day: National Fossil Day from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 12. Visitors can view paleontology specimens rarely seen by the public, learn about current KU paleontology research and participate in fun science activity stations. Then, just in time for Halloween, the public — especially KU students — will have the opportunity to explore the creepy side of natural science during the Macabre at the Museum event from 7-9 p.m. Oct. 24. From bats and deep-sea fishes to skeletons and more, students can participate in activities and enjoy snacks, music and raffle prizes.
Throughout the year, the museum also offers a variety of educational programs and resources for K-12 schools, Scout programs and collection tours for KU and other higher education institutions.
The KU Natural History Museum is part of the KU Biodiversity Institute, a KU-designated research center studying the biological diversity of life on Earth. The museum is in historic Dyche Hall, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd., and is open to the public 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Suggested donations are $7 for adults and $4 for children. Members and KU students are free. Learn more at KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum.
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Contact: Laura Mielke, Department of History, [email protected], @KUHistoryDept
Erik Scott named inaugural John P. Black Professor of History
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of History has announced Erik Scott as the inaugural John P. Black Professor of History.
A KU faculty member since 2012, Scott is a leading scholar of modern Russia, the Soviet Union and the global Cold War whose expertise has led to appearances on MSNBC, NPR and C-SPAN. He serves as the editor of “The Russian Review” and is the author of “Familiar Strangers: The Georgian Diaspora and the Evolution of Soviet Empire” (2016) and “Defectors: How the Illicit Flight of Soviet Citizens Built the Borders of the Cold War World” (2023). In 2023, Scott was recognized with a University Scholarly Achievement Award.
His book “Defectors” was awarded the Robert H. Ferrell Book Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, the Tonous & Warda Johns Family Book Award from the Pacific Coast Branch of the American Historical Association and an honorable mention for the Theodore Saloutos Book Award by the Immigration and Ethnic History Society.
In addition to producing award-winning scholarship, Scott is an esteemed teacher of graduate and undergraduate courses in Russian, Soviet and global history. He also serves as the primary researcher and co-researcher on multimillion-dollar grants and is the director of KU’s Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies. Through the center, Scott created the digital humanities project Cold War in the Heartland.
“It is truly an honor to serve as the inaugural John P. Black Professor of History at KU,” Scott said. “The generous and timely gift of the Black-Cheslik family will enable me to pursue my research on the global legacies of the Cold War and offer classes that give students the historical skills and context needed to understand the world around them. As an author and teacher, I am a firm believer in the importance of history for making sense of complex issues such as migration, decolonization and international law.”
The Black Professorship was endowed through a generous gift by the Black-Cheslik family of Kansas City, Missouri. Julie Cheslik and Paul M. Black established the professorship in honor of the teaching excellence their son John P. Black, of Fairway, experienced while earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a minor in history in 2022. The professorship provides the opportunity for more students to be taught by inspiring historians and affirms the vital role of humanities courses and research at KU.
“The history department is lucky to have Erik as a teacher, researcher and campus leader,” said Laura Mielke, KU professor of English and interim chair of the Department of History. “We are delighted to draw on the generosity of the Black-Cheslik family to recognize an excellent scholar who gives so much to the KU community — and beyond.”
Arash Mafi, executive dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, expressed his appreciation as well.
“I deeply thank the Black-Cheslik family for their generous support of educational causes in Kansas and beyond,” he said. “We are truly appreciative of their commitment. I also want to praise Professor Scott for his exceptional scholarly work, which greatly enriches our academic community. The history department excels in fostering positive educational experiences, shaping the next generation of citizens and leaders. Their dedication is truly commendable.”
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