How should we think about our data in today's world of algorithms, breaches, and online profiling? What is to be done about the tracking, mining, and commodifying of what we once considered to be private information? Where might we look—in technology, governance, history, or law—for answers? Join Chris Wiggins, who has revolutionized data analytics at the New York Times, and Sarah Igo, an award-winning historian of modern America, for a lively discussion of privacy, data, and ethics.
Chris Wiggins is the Chief Data Scientist for the New York Times, the co-founder of hackNY, an associate professor of applied mathematics at Columbia University, and a founding member of Columbia’s Data Sciences Institute. Sarah Igo is the author of The Known Citizen: A History of Privacy in Modern America (2018), the Andrew Jackson Professor of History and Director of American Studies at Vanderbilt University, and the inaugural Faculty Head of Vanderbilt’s E. Bronson Ingram College.
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Musician, author, and USN parent STEVE GORMAN spends an evening discussing his new book, “Hard to Handle: The Life and Death of The Black Crowes”; hear his first-hand account of one of America's greatest rock band's nascent, descent, and demise. The session will be hosted by Grammy-nominated Red Beet Records recording artist, award-winning journalist, and educator PETER COOPER, asking Steve all the tough questions and to expound on stories from the book. Following that Steve will field questions, sign your copy of the book, as well as take photos. It’ll be a good night. Books will be available for purchase on the night.
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Author and sustainability advocate BEA JOHNSON, who pioneered the idea that a household can reduce annual disposable waste to fit in a single glass jar, brings her cross-country speaking tour to USN to present inspiring, pragmatic and humorous tips for reducing consumer waste. Bea's bestselling Zero Waste Home, referenced by global organizations ranging from Amazon, Google, and Starbucks to the United Nations, offers a realistic roadmap to minimizing impact on the planet through her guideline: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot. The FREE evening of conversation and Q&A opens at 5:30 p.m., with an expo of waste-reduction-oriented vendors, including Turnip Green Creative Reuse, Compost Nashville, Zero Waste Trash Talk, the Tennessee Environmental Council, and The Good Fill. Bea will speak at 6 to 7 p.m., followed by a Question and Answer session, and closed out with a book-signing in conjunction with Parnassus Books.
Instructor: Bea Johnson
Location: USN - Auditorium
Fee: $0.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Trying to separate fact from spin in the Trump Administration? Confused about how Americans can have such different views of the president? Curious about impeachment and the 2020 election? Join USN parent and Vanderbilt political scientist DAVID E. LEWIS for a discussion of current presidential politics. Lewis, the former Chair of the Department of Political Science at Vanderbilt, will attempt to situate Trump presidency in American history and explain similarities and differences between President Trump and his predecessors. Lewis is an expert on the presidency, executive branch politics, and public administration. He is the author of two books, Presidents and the Politics of Agency Design (Stanford University Press, 2003) and The Politics of Presidential Appointments: Political Control and Bureaucratic Performance (Princeton University Press, 2008). His work has been featured in outlets such as the Harvard Business Review, New York Times, and Washington Post. He is a member of the National Academy of Public Administration and has earned numerous research and teaching awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching.
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Join USN parent, Belmont Law Professor, and Chair of the ABA Criminal Justice Section LUCIAN DERVAN in exploring the history of international criminal law from its early roots during the Nuremberg Trials following WWII to the permanent International Criminal Court in The Hague today. Issues to be explored include the history of ICL, the core crimes of international concern (war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and the crime of aggression), the role of the UN and the UN Security Council in international enforcement, the role of the U.S. in international enforcement, and the future of ICL, including what happens next in Syria.
Instructor: Lucian Dervan
Location: USN - Room 1120
Fee: $27.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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If you are ready to move beyond griping about “kids these days” as you work with the twenty-something generation in the contemporary workplace, this class is for you. If you are ready to level up your professional development opportunities with the younger crowd and forming bonds which enhance productivity, listen up as attorney, instructor of legal writing, head of academic success at Vanderbilt University Law School, corporate coach, and USN Parent RACHAEL ANDERSEN-WATTS provides the insights into Generation Z which will inform and delight. She will begin by familiarizing you with generation theory as it relates to Generation Z and will share a four-pillared approach that will inspire you to create an environment which challenges without alienating, fosters mentorship and democratizes expectations for all (even if we are scared of SnapChat and TikTok).
Instructor: Rachael Andersen-Watts
Location: USN - Room 1100
Fee: $27.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Ready to hoot and holler? Ready to experience how the game of Speculation offers insight to both fictional and real personality styles? Not only will you actually try your hand at Whist and Speculation but you will also learn what really went on during those card games and why card playing was a dominant pastime in Jane Austen's novels. Indeed, card games are not as innocent or simple as they might seem. Led by University Librarian at Vanderbilt, VALERIE HOTCHKISS, this class will talk a bit about card games in history and literature as well as discussing the world-class gaming collection at Vanderbilt (and why it makes perfect sense for it to be housed at Vanderbilt). Prizes will be awarded for those with the most chips at the end of the night. To our player holding the most chips goes a special Grand Prize: Lunch with University Librarian Valerie Hotchkiss in the Vanderbilt Library Special Collections. Come join in the fun and learn why cards were a favorite hobby of King Charles II, Jane Austen, and George Washington.
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Meet with popular tutor STACY BOATMAN from Premier Test Preparation to learn about the similarities and differences between the SAT and ACT and how to choose the right test for your student. A veteran of tutoring many USN students over the years, she will discuss test structure, testing timeline, and preparation strategies, as well as debunk some commonly held myths and misconceptions.
Instructor: Stacy Boatman
Location: USN - Room 1120
Fee: $27.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Do you wish you could get more out of looking at the famous or obscure art you see at museums, galleries and in books and even on television? Let retired USN teacher and historian MARC LAVINE open your eyes in this intriguing "tour" to a way of seeing all works of art as inextricably linked to the conditions and factors that have shaped artists and informed the art they produced at particular junctures in history. Together, you will compare a number of images in context and develop a practice of asking new questions of the art you see which will deepen your insight and your delight.
Instructor: Marc Lavine
Location: USN - Room 1135
Fee: $27.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Just over 150 years ago, Western scholars "discovered" the largest treasure trove of medieval documents hidden in the back room of a synagogue in the Old City of Cairo. The roughly 250,000 fragments of paper that were found in this chamber provide us with a unique window into the medieval Mediterranean. In this talk, USN parent and Vanderbilt professor PHIL LIEBERMAN will introduce participants to the idea of a "Geniza" and show some of its treasures, as well as discuss how scholars have used the materials in the Geniza to retell the history of the medieval world.
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Excellent memoirs, biographies, and true crime texts all share the same common denominators—exciting and interesting prose based on accurate research. JENNIFER KIM, a USN parent with over 15 years of non-fiction and business writing experience, will help participants develop ideas, define topics, and build research frameworks to craft well-researched and engaging writing. All levels of experience and all stages of research/writing are welcome for this hands-on workshop to bring pizzazz to your non-fiction works.
Instructor: Jennifer Kim
Location: USN - Room 1115
Fee: $37.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Have you ever wanted some extra skills to help you dazzle at a meeting, be the life of the party, and connect with your friends? Sign up for this exciting adult improv acting class and you will participate in and enjoy many games like the ones you may have seen on "Whose Line is it Anyway." Middle school theatre instructor and USN parent BAKARI KING will teach improvisational theatre's tricks of the trade and how improv can apply to and support your everyday life. Age 21 and up.
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The built environment is a living, three-dimensional history book, giving us a visual picture of our past - our beliefs, our ideals and aspirations, our tastes, our ways of living. Nashville's buildings paint a vivid picture of our past, reflecting national as well as state and local cultural currents. Join residential realtor DAVID PAINE in a visual and verbal survey of (mostly) surviving structures that tell the story of Nashville, beginning as a tiny settlement and growing into a city.
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Bestselling author of "Strong Inside", a biography of Perry Wallace, the first African American basketball player in the Southeastern Conference, Andrew Maraniss returns to USN for another special evening. In "Games of Deception", his latest and just recently released book, he tells the incredible true story of the first U.S. Olympic basketball team, which competed at the 1936 Summer Games in Nazi Germany. What was really happening behind the scenes? What led to this Olympic debut? How was this even possible?
Sure to be an evening of intrigue and insight, don't miss this opportunity to hear first-hand from our 2019-2020 Author in Residence, Andrew Maraniss.
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What is this large, mysterious book, written and illustrated over many years in the early 1900's by psychologist Carl Jung? Jung called it his "voluntary confrontation with the unconscious." Is it a work of genius or of madness? Why was it locked in a bank vault and not published until 2009? Why did Jung call his years working on this "the most important years of my life" and the source of all of his later work until his death in 1961? ADELE TYLER, mother of USN alumni, certified life coach, and a founding member of the Nashville Jung Circle, will unlock the secrets of the Red Book, viewing the illustrations, prose, and calligraphy that make it not only a work of art but a profound psychological work.
Instructor: Adele Tyler
Location: USN - Room 1135
Fee: $27.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Yoga coach and practitioner TAMMY ROTH will share meditation and writing strategies designed to help individuals override the “inner critic” and access deeper wisdom. In this class, the meditations will help participants focus and connect you with your inner muse; the writing exercise will follow a pathway deeper into that creativity. Participants will leave with prompts and visual images to keep them writing even after the class is over.
Instructor: Tammy Roth
Location: USN - Room
Fee: $37.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Vanderbilt University professor, award-winning environmental journalist, and USN parent AMANDA LITTLE spent five years traveling through a dozen countries and as many U.S. states in search of answers to the question: What will we eat in a bigger, hotter, smarter world? Her journey took her from an apple orchard in Wisconsin and tiny Kenyan cornfields to massive Norwegian fish farms and computerized foodscapes in Shanghai. The race to reinvent the global food system is on, and the challenge is twofold: we must solve the existing problems of industrial agriculture while also preparing for the pressures ahead. Amanda will share insights from her interviews and adventures with farmers, scientists, activists, and engineers. Her book tells a fascinating story of human innovation, exploring new and old approaches to food production while charting the growth of a movement that could redefine sustainable food on a grand scale. Climate models show that global crop production will decline every decade for the rest of this century due to drought, heat, and flooding. Water supplies are in jeopardy. Meanwhile, the world's population is expected to grow another 30 percent by midcentury. So how, really, will we feed nine billion people sustainably in the coming decades? Books available for purchase.
Instructor: Amanda Little
Location: USN - Room
Fee: $27.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Grammar is the set of rules that explains every excellent sentence. But, knowing grammar and using grammar can be two different things. Join USN English Teacher THORUNN MCCOY for this class, and look at how creative use of these conventions can change a piece of writing from blah to, “Ahhh.” Analyze elegant sentences as well as craft your own. Rather than hunt for errors, appreciate how strong verbs, punctuation, and phrases move readers from one, well-organized idea to the next.
Instructor: Thorunn McCoy
Location: USN - Room 1135
Fee: $37.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Have you ever thought about writing a children's book? Nashville children's book author and USN parent JESSICA YOUNG will provide a glimpse into the craft and business of writing for young readers. She'll look at the concept, format, and structure of picture books and chapter books, as well as finding and working with an agent, editor, and publisher.
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Nashville's rapid population expansion has also brought about transportation issues - increased congestion (namely increased single-occupant car trips) and increased pedestrian fatalities, to name a few. Nashville is at a crossroads: do we grow in the direction of car-friendly cities like Atlanta, or do we take a different path? The recent influx of scooters has brought a lot of learnings. Join INSEAD graduate, holder of a JD from the University of Alabama, Market Manager for Lyft (Bikes and Scooters division), and USN alumnus MAX LOOSEN as he leads a deep dive into these challenges and what Nashville's scooter experiment has taught us.
Instructor: Max Loosen
Location: USN - Room
Fee: $27.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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Stories and sweet sensations deliciously collide in the name of chocolate. Chocolate sommelier, proponent of the Slow Food movement, and owner of Projet Chocolat SOPHIA REA takes you on a unique journey as you eat your way through chocolate history, exploring its surprising suitors. Accompanying her presentation, Sophia will display artifacts taken from her personal chocolate museum. Age 21 and up.
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Approaching a jamming session is as simple as having a conversation. Join USN parent, five-time Grammy winner, and voted by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the "Top Ten Bassists of ALL TIME" VICTOR WOOTEN as he works with you to make musical magic. Players of all levels and all instruments, from beginners to advanced, are invited to join. Bring your favorite musical instrument.
Instructor: Victor Wooten
Location: USN - Room 3250
Fee: $37.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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CircleSong is a form of community singing like no other. Inspired by several indigenous cultures around the world, master vocalist, Bobby McFerrin developed CircleSong as a form of spontaneous acapella music. Join McFerrin trained, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist JAMISON SEVITS as he facilitates Nashville’s own version of this practice. CircleSong is for all levels of singers, and no group singing experience is required. CircleSong is a chance to let loose, meet new people and have a great time creating songs from in the moment inspiration. CircleSong not only has the power to create fun and compelling music, but it can also be a transformational experience of nurturing community, trust, and imagination.
Instructor: Jamison Sevits
Location: USN Room
Fee: $37.00
Materials Fee: $0.00 -
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USN alumna, USN grandmother, and Frist Center for the Visual Arts docent TERI COHEN leads a tour of the exhibit from Joseph Mallord William Turner (1775–1851). Considered to be among the greatest landscape painters in Western art, Turner strove to convey the feeling of awe aroused by nature’s immensity and power. The exhibition includes paintings, watercolors and sketches from The Tate Museum's Turner Bequest.
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Enjoy a night with Nashville's Grammy-winning orchestra at the exquisite Schermerhorn Symphony Center to celebrate Beethoven's birthday. This night includes a close-up look at the acoustical gem with a behind-the-scenes tour led by one of the Symphony Center's knowledgeable docents followed by a meeting with conductor Giancarlo Guerrero and pianist Barry Douglas. Finally, take your seat to enjoy the Beethoven performance of the night, opening with the operatic Leonore Overture No. 3, continuing allegro con brio with Piano Concerto No. 1, and crescendo with Symphony No. 3, "Eroica"; all performed by the Nashville Symphony in one of the most elegant concert halls in the United States.
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