Knowledge is a very powerful thing. Once obtained, it can be put into action where it can make a sweeping change of enlightenment.

Collin College and the Center for Scholarly and Civic Engagement are hoping to wield knowledge during 2007-08 as such a weapon during its Distinguished Speaker Series scheduled throughout the academic year.

The series is a college-wide set of events that will tackle the issue of knowledge from a variety of different angles from some of the nation’s foremost scholars from varying backgrounds.

All events are free and open to the public. They will be held at the Spring Creek Campus Conference Center.

This year’s line up is: 

Dr. Trevor Pinch

Dr. Trevor Pinch

Dr. Trevor Pinch will present "Understanding the Golem of Science and Technology: The Social Roots of Knowledge." Dr. Pinch outlines the golem -- a powerful beast of Jewish mythology -- metaphor as a way to understand science and technology and draw upon insights from the recent social studies of science. Dr. Pinch’s lecture is set for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 25. A Conversation with Dr. Trevor Pinch is set for 10 a.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26. Seating is limited. Dr. Pinch is a professor of sociology and professor and chair of science and technology studies at Cornell University. He holds degrees in physics and sociology. He has published 14 books and numerous articles on aspects of the sociology of science and technology.

Dr. Diane Ackerman

Dr. Diane Ackerman

Dr. Diane Ackerman will present "Creative Intelligence or What a Poem Knows.” She will explore the act of artistic creation in general, the psychology of artists, how artists problem-solve to create a work of art and what truths only art can teach us about the world. The public lecture is set for 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 6, and a Conversation with Dr. Diane Ackerman at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 7. Dr. Ackerman received a master of arts, master of fine arts and doctorate from Cornell University. She is an accomplished author and writer, holds a doctorate of literature from Kenyon College and has received a Guggenheim Fellowship. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, National Geographic, and many other journals.

Dr. Joan Fujimura

Dr. Joan Fujimura

Dr. Joan Fujimura will present "Epistemology in Action: Knowledge Production in Context" at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, along with a Conversation with Dr. Joan Fujimura at 10 a.m., Wednesday, March 5.  She will discuss the practical production of knowledge. Dr. Fujimura is a professor of sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she was founding director of the Robert F. and Jean E. Holtz Center for Science and Technology Studies. Her primary work is in the anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, feminist studies, and history of science, medicine and technology.

Dr. Michael Shermer

Dr. Michael Shermer

Dr. Michael Shermer will present “Why People Believe Weird Things,” based on his bestselling book, Why People Believe Weird Things, which is filled with humor, insight and personal anecdotes. The public lecture is set for 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 15, and a Conversation with Dr. Michael Shermer will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, April 16. Dr. Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, the executive director of the Skeptics Society, a monthly columnist for Scientific American, the host of the Skeptics Distinguished Science Lecture Series at the California Institute of Technology and the co-host and producer of the Family Channel series, “Exploring the Unknown.”

For more information about the Distinguished Speaker Series, contact Regina Hughes, director, at rhughes@ccccd.edu or call 972.881.5900. Or visit the series’ webpage at www.ccccd.edu/speakerseries.