In class you might be presented a snippet of a topic and want to learn more, or maybe you want to learn content outside of your major. University of Iowa students should take every opportunity that is given to them to go to lectures and seminars outside of the classroom, to gain a wider breadth of knowledge not covered by their major.

One organization that I have participated in lectures, is the AIA, or Archaeological Institute of America. The AIA holds events three to four times a semester for its Iowa Chapter. These events consist of lectures with various topics discussing recent archaeological findings.

Professors, like my museums professor Heidi Lung did, should encourage students to participate in lectures outside of class, so they can participate in the field they want to be in, or even realize that they should be in that field.

The first one I went to was a careers in Archaeology event, where people from the Iowa board of Regent Universities participated. This allowed students to meet other students from Iowa Universities, as well as learn careers and Grad school information from UI professors.

The AIA also works in collaboration with many other universities across the U.S., allowing for UI students to learn from industry professionals in places like Harvard. Major Universities and museums hold lectures and seminars virtually.

April 25 is the next lecture sponsored by the UI thru the AIA, detailing the ancient battle of Chaironeia, and its effects on the Theban soldiers. However, for students who don’t enjoy archaeology, there are other lecture opportunities provided by the UI and other institutions.

There are many other institutions that hold lectures virtually, like the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. SLAC hosts a variety of science topics, from greener energy to astronomy. They hold events in person as well, but since they are in California it is less viable for UI students.

Going back to the AIA, for the 2022-2023 academic year, they will provide lectures hybridily, meaning that there will be in person as well as virtual events, that allow all students to learn.

The UI also hosts events that consist of lectures and seminars that are often hybrid. On the UI events page, students can find upcoming events. Events also include readings and discussions with people like Bill Nye, leaving for more entertainment possibilities rather than strictly gaining knowledge.

One professor at the UI that does a good job at this, is Professor Robert Cargill. He has a YouTube channel that discusses frequently asked questions in biblical archaeology, and has a few bigger lectures alongside other archaeologists.

Now, not every profesor should rush to YouTube to spread their research or their topics, but they should find ways to incorporate other departments and Universities into broader discussion and lectures, so every student has a chance to learn topics outside of their major or field.

With the AIA and the UI events site already available, students can already see many different lectures and attend other events. Outside of class lectures give students the opportunity to learn from professionals in or outside of their fields of interest.

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.