2006 Evening at Egan Collection

William Colby is well known for representing Nancy Cruzan's family before the U.S. Supreme Court. The Cruzans fought on behalf of their daughter's care in a legal case that catapulted end-of-life issues to national attention. While Nancy Cruzan's struggles were chronicled in a prior book by Colby, Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right To Die In America offers a broader perspective on the topic, moving beyond Cruzan's struggle to offer answers to legal, ethical, medical and personal issues involved in the debate. Court records, interviews and the author’s own experiences lend to the discussion of current laws, proposed changes, and their effects on society. The author reads a passage of the book to the UAS audience.

Recorded September 24th, 2006
Sponsored by: University of Alaska Southeast
Produced by: UAS Video Production Services
© 2006 University of Alaska Southeast

Running Time: 1 hour, 24 minutes

UAS Associate Professor of Geology and Environmental Science, Cathy Connor, and UAS Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Daniel Monteith, share surprising discoveries from their research of Auke Lake.  In this presentation, they speak about the geological advance of the Mendenhall Glacier, its effects on the Auke Lake region, and the impact Auke Lake had on the cultural development of native tribes that resided in the area.

Recorded September 29th, 2006
Sponsored by: University of Alaska Southeast
Produced by: UAS Video Production Services
© 2006 University of Alaska Southeast

Running Time: 48 minutes

Dr. James Darling, renowned whale researcher and co-founder of the West Coast Whale Research Foundation, sheds light on the reasoning behind whale vocalization. Whales sing to one another over hundreds of miles and use their songs to navigate across oceans. Humpback whales travel thousands of miles as a group, singing to each other as they go. They can also communicate with each other over thousands of miles of ocean. The presenter explains how singing is part of their social system and community.

Recorded October 27th, 2006
Sponsored by: University of Alaska Southeast
Produced by: UAS Video Production Services
© 2006 University of Alaska Southeast

Running Time : 1 hour, 14 minutes

Anselm Staack, UAS Professor, worked extensively in the financial world, including serving as the Chief Financial Officer for the Alaska Retirement Systems, and Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Administration. In this Evening at Egan, professor Staack explains how the public financial and fiscal process affects every Alaskan. He examines the effects that political decisions have on Wall Street and the Federal Treasury.

Recorded November 17th, 2006
Sponsored by: University of Alaska Southeast
Produced by: UAS Video Production Services
© 2006 University of Alaska Southeast

Running Time : 1 hour, 36 minutes

Dr. Richard Nelson reflects on forty years of his experiences as an ethnographer and writer in Alaska. His slides evoke the treasures of Alaska's cultural and natural heritage, while his stories underscore the value of preserving this heritage. Along the way, Dr. Nelson discusses the importance of descriptive ethnography, of learning from native traditions, of working with both the heart and mind engaged, of involving ourselves in true collaboration with indigenous communities, of learning to write well both for other anthropologists and for general readers, and of helping the next generation of Alaskan anthropologists to create themselves.

Recorded September 22th, 2006
Sponsored by: University of Alaska Southeast
Produced by: UAS Video Production Services
© 2006 University of Alaska Southeast

Running Time : 1 hour, 28 minutes

Ernestine Hayes, Assistant Professor at UAS, talks about her new book, Blonde Indian: An Alaska Native Memoir. Her writing weaves Tlingit oral history, Southeast Alaska natural history and tales of growing up native in Juneau around the time of statehood in this poignant family memoir. The native history is powerful, showing both the strengths of Tlingit culture today and its weaknesses in the face of  alcohol and white Alaska. Hayes presents a rich and complex picture, not just of her own life, but of the context in which her life represents a larger story.

Recorded November 10th, 2006
Sponsored by: University of Alaska Southeast
Produced by: UAS Video Production Services
© 2006 University of Alaska Southeast

Running Time: 1 hour, 2 minutes

Dr. Hood won the prestigious Lasker award, Kyoto Prize, and the Lemelson-MIT Prize as the inventor of the automated DNA sequencer that has transformed the scientific landscape and played a key role in the Human Genome Project. He discusses the various aspects of DNA and the technology necessary to develop this field of scientific research.

Recorded November 3rd, 2006
Sponsored by: University of Alaska Southeast
Produced by: UAS Video Production Services
© 2006 University of Alaska Southeast

Running Time : 1 hour, 42 minutes