Contact information
Name:
Dr. Wendy Hill
Phone:
610-330-3508
Email:
hillw@lafayette.edu
Categories:
When:
Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 4:15pm - 5:30pm
Where:
Gendebien Room (206), Skillman Library
Presenter:
Dr. Markus Dubischar, Associate Provost for Curriculum and Associate Professor of Classics and Charles Elliot Scholar of Latin and Greek
Dr. Dubischar studies auxiliary texts in antiquity, works that brought scientific knowledge beyond specialist circles and made it accessible, engaging, and relevant to wider audiences. In this talk, Dr. Dubischar will offer a distinctive historical perspective on science communication. He will examine a passage from the medical writer Galen of Pergamon (2nd century CE), in which the prominent physician critiques popular scientific works that promise quick and effortless learning. The presentation explores Galen’s analysis of why such works attract readers, what they accomplish, and where they fall short. Grounded in Platonic ideas about knowledge, Galen’s reflections remain surprisingly relevant in an age of Wikipedia, Blinkist, and ChatGPT.
The presentation is part of the series, Forging Connections: Championing Science, Learning, and Higher Ed Through Effective Communication and is co-sponsored by the Center for the Integration of Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship, College Writing Program, First Year Seminar Program, Hanson Center for Inclusive STEM Education, Landis Center for Community Engagement, and the Provost Office.
Sponsored by:
Hanson Center for Inclusive STEM Education