Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) and the Thousand Oaks Library are pleased to announce the 2013 CSU Channel Islands Lecture Series, a free, monthly event featuring speakers from the CI faculty. The series is a new initiative inviting the public to learn more about the research and work of CI professors and to engage in discussions on a variety of timely, thought-provoking and regionally relevant topics.

“These lectures provide the public with a unique opportunity to be a CI student for an evening,” said Dr. Karen Carey, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Arts & Sciences at CI. “We are excited to partner with the Thousand Oaks Library to share some of our most dynamic speakers and the compelling work they do.”

"We are delighted to host this speaker series at the Thousand Oaks Library,” said Steve Brogden, Library Director. “The CSU Channel Islands faculty offer a unique perspective on a wide range of topics. We expect these lectures to be very popular."

All lectures will be held at 7 p.m. inside the Marvin E. Smith Community Room at the Grant R. Brimhall Library, 1401 E. Janss Rd., Thousand Oaks. At the conclusion of their hour-long presentations, the speakers will engage in Q&A with the audience.

The series kicks off Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. with “The Human Prehistory of the Channel Islands and Coastal California: A 10,000 Year Retrospective.” Drawing from 20 years of research experience, Anthropology Professors Colleen Delaney and Jennifer Perry will present an overview of the prehistory of coastal Ventura County and the Channel Islands from an archaeological perspective. Learn why this region is so unique and the importance of the islands to people today. Professors Delaney and Perry will focus on human interactions with these environments, starting with their initial occupation and how this informs our understanding of the earliest colonization of the Americas. They will also discuss changes in climate, population, and technology through time, with emphasis on boats, trade, and interaction between the Chumash, Tongva, and their ancestors on the islands and mainland.

Other planned 2013 lectures are as follows:

“Politics to the Extreme: The Consequences of Partisan Polarization in Congress”

Thursday, March 28, at 7 p.m., with Professor of Political Science Sean Kelly

“The Interaction Between Urban Centers and Protected Areas”

Thursday, April 11, at 7 p.m., with Don Rodriguez, Professor of Environmental Science & Resource Management

“Resisting the Pressures of the Present: Channel Islands National Park as a Case Study in Public Policymaking”

Wednesday, May 22, at 7 p.m., with Scott Frisch, Professor of Political Science, and Dan Wakelee, Assistant Provost and Associate Professor of Political Science

All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.toaks.org/library or call the library at 805-449-2660, option 5.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is celebrating 10 years of education, innovation, growth and community enrichment during the 2012/2013 academic year. We salute our faculty, staff, students, alumni, supporters, and partners who continue the CI mission of a student-centered education emphasizing international and multicultural perspectives with interdisciplinary and experiential service-oriented learning.

Together, we are solving the problems of today, preparing the leaders and innovators of tomorrow, and contributing to the vitality of higher education.

CSU Channel Islands – A Decade of Distinction