Water in the Southwest: Where Have We Been, and Where Are We Going? with Jennifer Richter

Pima County Public Library- Eckstrom-Columbus Branch 4350 E. 22nd St., Tucson, AZ, United States

Dr. Jennifer Richter is an assistant professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and School of Social Transformation. Her research interests are at the intersections of science and society, especially how federal policies are enacted locally. By examining how science and technology policies collide with local expectations and understanding of their […]

FREE

Water in the Southwest: Where Have We Been, and Where Are We Going? with Jennifer Richter

Heroes Regional Park Library- Yucca Meeting Room 6075 N 83rd Avenue, Glendale

It has been said that “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting.” This is especially true of water politics in the American Southwest, a region defined by its lack of water. The massive 20th century federal investments into dam systems controlled the great rivers of the West, allowing cities like Phoenix to “bloom like […]

FREE

The Road to Inequity: Understanding the Wealth Gap with Matthew Whitaker

Pima County Public Library - Salazar-Ajo Branch 15 W Plaza ST #179, Ajo, AZ, United States

We often hear about the widening wealth gap in the United States. If we look back through history, federal policies and discriminatory practices, from redlining to the current gender wage gap, have contributed to lasting social and economic inequities. Who holds the wealth now? How was that wealth acquired? Can we move toward a more […]

FREE

Water in the Southwest: Where Have We Been, and Where Are We Going? with Jennifer Richter

Mesquite Branch - Phoenix Public Library 4525 Paradise Village Pkwy N, Phoenix, AZ, United States

It has been said that “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting.” This is especially true of water politics in the American Southwest, a region defined by its lack of water. The massive 20th century federal investments into dam systems controlled the great rivers of the West, allowing cities like Phoenix to “bloom like […]

FREE

Where Do Landfills Go?: A History of Environmental Justice with Dr. Matthew Whitaker

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

Where do we dump our toxic waste? Where do we bury contaminated soil? Where do we put our industrial waste facilities? Hazardous sites are most frequently placed near Black and brown neighborhoods. Environmental pollution, whether dirty air or contaminated water, has disproportionately impacted communities of color for decades. Years of governmental support for housing discrimination […]

FREE

Education in the News: What’s Happening in Classrooms Today?

Pima County Public Library- Eckstrom-Columbus Branch 4350 E. 22nd St., Tucson, AZ, United States

The debate over what happens in the classroom continues to escalate as politics creep into curriculum. What can be taught, what can be said, and what pronouns teachers can use are all in question. What are the new bills and school policies being introduced in Arizona? How is legislation in other states influencing the national […]

FREE

Education in the News: What’s Happening in Classrooms Today?

Pima County Public Library, Dusenberry-River Branch, 5605 E. River Road #105, Tucson, AZ, United States

The debate over what happens in the classroom continues to escalate as politics creep into curriculum. What can be taught, what can be said, and what pronouns teachers can use are all in question. What are the new bills and school policies being introduced in Arizona? How is legislation in other states influencing the national […]

FREE

Era of Artificial Intelligence: What Is Research, and How Is Knowledge Created? with Andrea Christelle, Ph.D.

Coolidge Public Library 160 W. Central Avenue, Coolidge, AZ, United States

In today’s digital world, anyone can publish their writing. Anyone can make a movie. The democratization of knowledge or content creation has given a voice to untold stories. But there is a flipside. Who, or what, gets to create knowledge? Can AI systems create knowledge? When Chat GPT writes a student’s paper, is that original […]

FREE

Era of Artificial Intelligence: What Is Research, and How Is Knowledge Created? with Andrea Christelle

Chandler Public Library - Hamilton Branch 3700 S. Arizona Avenue, Chandler

In today’s digital world, anyone can publish their writing. Anyone can make a movie. The democratization of knowledge or content creation has given a voice to untold stories. But there is a flipside. Who, or what, gets to create knowledge? Can AI systems create knowledge? When Chat GPT writes a student’s paper, is that original […]

FREE

He/She/They: Why Pronouns Matter with Erick Tanchez

Downtown Chandler Public Library- Copper Room South 22 S. Delaware St, Chandler, AZ, United States

There has been a lot of attention on pronouns in the news headlines recently—from state bills aimed at regulating pronouns in the classroom to social media platforms offering pronoun options. So, what is a pronoun? How are pronouns related to gender identity, such as cisgender, transgender, nonbinary? What are gender identities? Is there a difference […]

FREE

Fill out the info below to sign up for our E-Newsletter.