Outreach Lecture Series

The Outreach Lecture Series is designed to bring the resources of one of the largest and best-known Middle Eastern Studies programs in the United States to non-specialists on campus, K-12 educators and homeschoolers, and the public. Top scholars in their fields communicate their work to the public, and in particular to the K-12 community. The talks are interactive educational experiences, intended to provoke lively discussion and enrichment for all.

The Outreach Lecture series is FREE and open to all.

K-12 educators, curriculum specialists, homeschoolers, and education students who pre-register can receive professional development credit for attending lectures. Frequently, they can also receive classroom resources related to the topic of the talk.

Spring 2011

People Power in Egypt: Early Thoughts on the Egyptian Revolution

Tuesday, March 1 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm

The University of Texas Union, Santa Rita Suite (3.502)
24th and Guadalupe St

A public panel and discussion with:

Jason Brownlee, Department of Government
Yoav Di-Capua, Department of History
Tarek El-Ariss, Department of Middle Eastern Studies
Samuel Shimon, Author and Editor

Tuesday, March 1, 2011
7:00 PM
Texas Union, Santa Rita Suite (3.502)
24th and Guadalupe Sts

Light refreshments will be served.
Public Parking in the San Antonio Garage (San Antonio St at 25th)

Sponsored by the Center for Middle Eastern Studies

Fall 2010

"We All Write Hieroglyphs: The Origin and Spread of the Alphabet"
with Dr. John Huehnergard, Department of Middle Eastern Studies
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
5:30 PM
Texas Union Quadrangle Room (3.304)

Writing was independently invented some three or four times around the globe, in ancient Mesopotamia, China, Mesoamerica, and perhaps Egypt. But the alphabet was invented only once, about four thousand years ago, in Egypt, by people speaking a language related to Hebrew and Arabic. The earlier writing systems, such as Mesopotamian cuneiform, consisted of hundreds or even thousands of signs and therefore took a long time to learn. The alphabet consisted of fewer than thirty signs, and could be learned in a day or two. Is that why nearly every writing system in use today, apart from Chinese and Japanese, is derived from that first alphabet? Or are there other reasons for the spread of the alphabet around the world?

This lecture is FREE and open to the public. K-12 educators who pre-register can get CEUs for attending and will get a CD with the presentation PowerPoint and other classroom resources related to the topic of Dr. Huehnergard's lecture.  Pre-register here!