UC Davis’ new Dialogue and Discernment series opens this Wednesday (Feb. 22) with a faculty roundtable on “Science In a Post-Truth Era,” exploring the growing marginalization and suppression of science by political and public leadership — and what can be done about it.

The program is free and open to the public, 2 to 4 p.m. in the Vanderhoef Studio Theatre at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

The Office of the Chancellor announced the Dialogue and Discernment series as an opportunity for faculty, staff and students to come together “to discuss the promise and practice of addressing controversial issues through informed and rational dialogue and critical evaluation of ideas.”

At Wednesday’s roundtable, Interim Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter will give introductory remarks, and Professor Deb Niemeier (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and School of Education) will moderate the discussion and dialogue with the faculty and the audience.

Here are the faculty members who are participating in the roundtable:

• Benjamin Houlton, professor in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources; Chancellor’s Fellow; and director of the UC Davis John Muir Institute of the Environment
• Tessa Hill, associate professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, and recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
• Joe Dumit, professor in the Department of Anthropology and of Science and Technology Studies, and director of the Institute for Social Sciences
• Veronica Morales, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

More opportunities to talk it out

The Office of Global Affairs has organized a second “Conversation About the Executive Order on Immigration,” this one to be held on the Sacramento campus, after the first such program Feb. 2 drew a standing-room-only audience of more than 250 people to the International Center on the Davis campus.

The next program, open to faculty, students, residents, staff and scholars, will be this Thursday (Feb. 23) in 2222 Education Building, 4610 X St., Sacramento.

A flier notes that President Trump’s Jan. 27 order was suspended, but “a new immigration order is expected to be released soon, (and) we are very concerned about how this decision affects our UC Davis community.”

The Feb. 23 program comprises conversation, 1:15-2:15 p.m.; and small group and individual consultation, 2:15-2:45 p.m.

The Office of Campus Dialogue and Deliberation and the Office of Graduate Studies announced two Campus Community Dialogues this week, providing opportunity to consider some topics of concern for our campus community and use the tools of dialogue to engage with one another. The dialogues will be led by doctoral student Ralph Washington Jr. 

• Thursday (Feb. 23) — Open to students, staff and faculty, 1:30-3 p.m., Garrison Room, Memorial Union. Email for more information.
• Friday (Feb. 24) — Open to graduate students, 2-3:30 p.m., DeCarli Room, MU. Email for more information.

Seating is limited.  Additional sessions may be added later if demand warrants.

Next week will bring an opportunity for dialogue in connection with a screening of the documentary An American Mosque (2012), recounting the arson that destroyed the Islamic Center of Yuba City in 1994, and how the rural town rallied together to overcome hate. The organizers said the screening will be followed by a moderated dialogue exploring themes of religious freedom and community.

The free program, part of Principles of Community Week, is scheduled from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, in the multipurpose room at the International Center. Refreshments will be served.

Sponsors: Campus Dialogue and Deliberation, Cross Cultural Center, Office of Campus Community Relations, Muslim Student Association, and Sustained Dialogue @ UC Davis.

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