Annual UM Lecture Series Debuts with ‘Birding to Change the World’
The University of Montana’s President’s Lecture Series kicks off this academic year with a talk by Trish O’Kane, author of “Birding to Change the World.” (Courtesy photo)
MISSOULA – The University of Montana invites the public to attend the kickoff installment of this year’s President’s Lecture Series with “Birding to Change the World: A Conversation with Trish O'Kane.”
O’Kane’s talk will take place at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the University Center Ballroom. The event is free and open to the public. A livestream link will be provided as well.
The President’s Lecture Series is a longstanding tradition at UM intended to bring thought-provoking speakers to campus to enhance the educational offerings of the University and spark discourse throughout the broader community.
"I look forward to exploring the range of perspectives this year’s Presidential Lecture Series will bring to campus,” said UM President Jeremiah Shinn. “UM is a place to come together, learn, ask important questions and engage with compelling ideas. I hope people from across Missoula and beyond will join us in this longstanding UM tradition."
O’Kane’s event also serves as UM’s 2026 Griz Read Lecture. The Griz Read is meant to offer new students a common connection through a conversation-inspiring book. Each year, a committee of UM faculty, staff and students selects a book from nominations submitted by the community.
More than 350 Davidson Honors College Introduction to Honors students are among those reading O’Kane’s book this fall. Students across campus also are participating in an intergenerational book club and have had the opportunity to interact with other local programming, including bird-banding with members of UM's Bird Ecology Laboratory.
“O’Kane’s work has challenged our students to consider what we might learn from birds about issues ranging from habitat conservation and restoration to civic engagement and social justice,” said Timothy Nichols, UM Davidson Honors College dean. “It's been an especially exciting Griz Read this year because of the many opportunities to connect O’Kane’s ideas to our local habitat and Missoula's vibrant birding community. Her story is truly inspiring.”
All members of the campus community, especially first-year students, are encouraged to build connection by reading the book and participating in Griz Read events.
In her memoir “Birding to Change the World,” O’Kane, a professor and activist, shares what birds can teach about life, social change and protecting the environment. She details the science of bird life – from migration and parenting to the territorial defense strategies that influenced her own activism practices.
O’Kane is a writer and a senior lecturer in environmental justice at the University of Vermont, where birds are her teaching assistants. A former human rights journalist in Central America and the Deep South, she has written for the New York Times, Time and the San Francisco Chronicle.
Additional President’s Lecture Series talks will be announced throughout the academic year.
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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM vice president of Marketing and Communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu.