Since 1987, the Humanities Forum has offered a free program of events that illustrate the richness of contemporary work in philosophy, history, culture, language, literature, and the arts.

The Forum fosters creative thinking about the role of the humanities in civic life within our globally interconnected world.

The Dresher Center for the Humanities welcomes your suggestions for the upcoming season. Proposals will be vetted by the Humanities Forum Planning Committee in conversation with the Dresher Center staff.  Consideration will be given to balance across fields and topics as well as orientation towards a public audience.

All suggestions are welcome so long as they center humanities issues, topics, methodologies, or questions. Potential areas of interest for 2024-25:

●      Celebration of the James Baldwin 100th anniversary

●      Culinary/food studies

●      Indigenous perspectives

●      Questions of incarceration

Wondering what we’ve selected in the past? Review our Archive.

Please submit proposals through this form.
Proposals are due April 5, 2024.

On today's episode, we hear from Dr. Carolyn Forestiere, Professor of Political Science and co-advisor of the Omicron Eta UMBC chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society. Dr. Forestiere is the author of Beginning Research in Political Science (Oxford University Press), and has published and presented many research projects in the field of SoTL research (the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning).

Check out the following links for more information on UMBC, CS3, and our host:

• The UMBC Center for the Social Sciences Scholarship
• The University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• Ian G. Anson, Ph.D.

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or Amazon!

Retrieving the Social Sciences is a production of the UMBC Center for Social Science Scholarship.  Our podcast host is Dr. Ian Anson, our director is Dr. Christine Mallinson, our associate director is Dr. Felipe Filomeno, and our production intern is Jean Kim.   Our theme music was composed and recorded by D'Juan Moreland.  Special thanks to Amy Barnes and Myriam Ralston for production assistance.  Make sure to follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, where you can find full video recordings of recent UMBC events.

Please join us on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, from 3-5 pm for the Emergency and Disaster Health Systems Graduate Speaker Seminar Series via WebEx. The speaker's information and seminar topic can be found below. Please help us welcome this week’s speaker by attending the seminar, and please bring your questions and discussion points!

We hope to see everyone there!

All majors are welcome!

Speaker Information:

Jonathan Bratt, MS

Assistant Vice President, Enterprise Resilience

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Seminar Topic:

“Emergency Management in Healthcare”

Speaker Bio:

Jonathan Bratt, MS

MS: Rochester Institute of Technology’s Center for Advanced Defense Studies – Counterterrorism & Emergency Management

BS: University of Maryland, Baltimore County – Emergency Health Sciences 

Jon joined UMB in 2018 where he was appointed as UMB's inaugural emergency manager. Following the COVID response, Jon was promoted to Assistant Vice President in 2023 where he now leads the institution’s, Environmental Health & Safety, Public & Occupational Health, and Emergency Management programs.

Before joining UMB, Jon held the position of Director of the Regional Programs Division at the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems. There, he led a team tasked with managing various facets of the state's emergency medical services, including pre-hospital care, hospital specialty accreditation, and system evaluation.

From 2008 to 2012, Jon was part of FEMA's Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Branch, serving as Deputy Team Leader for the Domestic Emergency Support Team. During this tenure, Jon actively supported the Department of State’s Prevention of Nuclear Smuggling Program, collaborating with foreign governments to devise operational strategies to counter and respond to nuclear weapons incidents.

Governor Hogan appointed Jon to the Governor's Emergency Management Advisory Council in 2020, where he assumed the role of chair of the legislative subcommittee.

Jon's commitment to public service extends beyond his professional roles. He has been serving as an EMS provider since 2001, maintaining an active role as a paramedic/firefighter in Maryland. Additionally, Jon serves as a Deputy Team Commander with the NJ-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

Location: 900 Walker Ave, Room 114, or online via Webex

Join Webex Meeting

Meeting number:

2633 827 4060

Meeting password:

36350242

Join by phone

+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)

Attendee access code: 36350242

Global call-in numbers

Please note that the Dept of Emergency and Disaster Health Systems (EDHS) has temporarily moved (due to renovations of Sherman Hall) to the 900 Walker Building. Address is 900 Walker Ave. (building located behind the Walker Apartments, towards Wilkins Ave.) in the main EHS classroom Walker 114. Enter the front doors and follow the signs to the department area & classroom (Room 114). Link to map (see upper right corner on Walker Avenue, it is the building entitled Baltimore County Courthouse): https://mcac.umbc.edu/maps-and-directions/