Elevate your lunch hour by taking in short talks by NU faculty members, fresh from sabbatical, on their latest research. You bring your lunch; we'll bring the coffee and treats!
Read more about this year's scheduled events below.
FALL 2025
Date & Time: Friday, Nov 14, 1-2 p.m.
Location: F210
Precarious Professionalization: Reality TV Casting, Conglomerates, and the Cost of On-Camera Labour (Dr. Wendy Peters)
Reading across 56 American reality series released in 2024, Wendy discusses how 3 distinct casting models impact both production and talent, focusing largely on the financial benefits to conglomerates and the effects on pay and working conditions for talent. Together, these casting approaches provide a diverse, flexible, non-unionized, and self-replenishing talent ecosystem that minimizes risk and cost for the companies that create these series, but not for the talent who labour within them.
Comic Books and the Vietnam War, 1954-1973 (Dr. Stephen Connor)
This talk will zero in on Stephen’s most recent publication, which explores how American comics represented the Vietnam War from 1954 to 1973. Stephen will discuss how comics both reinforced and subverted dominant narratives about the war.
WINTER 2026
Date & Time: Tuesday, Apr 14, 12-1 p.m.
Location: Fedeli Room (F210)
Trails, Rails and Sails: A sabbatical journey across Scandinavia (Dr. Pat Maher)
What do cruise ships and Arctic foxes in NW Iceland, a 51-hour train trip across Europe, and the sustainability of volunteer groups along the Oslo fjord have in common? Pat will share a few stories (maybe an answer or two) as he discusses his sabbatical work from 24-25.
Building the Creative Movement Environment within Ontario Health and Physical Education (Thomas Ryan)
The province of Ontario via the Ministry of Education believes students need to dance. Movement ability develops via dance, and various other physical activities. A person responding and perhaps dancing is closer to his/her emotionality and spirituality which may impact both self-image and wellness.