Varner Vitality Lecture Series at Oakland University

17 September 2009
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Dr. A.P.J. Kalam’s distinguished career as the former president of India (2002-2007) consists of his significant contributions as a scientist and engineer, and his visionary focus on the future of India and the world. Prior to his tenure as president, Dr. Kalam’s groundbreaking work as an aeronautical engineer led to his leadership in the development of India’s first satellite launch vehicle in orbit and the development of the nation’s space program. He held important posts in the government, including the rank of Cabinet Minister, serving as principal scientific advisor to the country. In addition, Dr. Kalam created a plan for India titled “Technology Vision 2020,” described as a road map for transforming the country through an emphasis on technological and economic growth. During and after his presidency he has remained committed to leading India forward through science and technology. His views on India’s future as a knowledge superpower have been expressed through his teaching and research, and he currently holds the position of Professor of Technology and Societal Transformation at Anna University at Chennai. Among his several books are Wings of Fire (1999); India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium (2003); Scientist to President (2003); Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India (2003); and India-my-dream (2004). Known as the “People’s President” during his term of service, Dr. Kalam has been honored with India’s highest civilian awards – Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990), and Bharat Ratna, the “Jewel of India”, in (1997).

14 October 2008
Dr. Madeleine Albright
Dr. Madeleine Albright was nominated for the position of Secretary of State by President Bill Clinton. She was the first female Secretary of State and at the time, the highest ranking woman in the history of the United States government. Albright’s previous credentials include United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations, member of President Clinton’s Cabinet, and member of the National Security Council and White House staff member. She has also served as president for the Center for National Policy, a research professor of international affairs and director of Women in Foreign Service program at Georgetown University. Dr. Albright was a Woodrow Wilson fellow at the International Center for Scholars at the Smithsonian and served as a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, researching developments and trends in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Wellesley College, a certificate from the Russian Institute at Columbia University and both a master’s and doctorate from Columbia University’s Department of Public Law and Government.

1 February 2006
Dr. Susan Love
Dr. Susan Love, M.D., MBA, President and Medical Director of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, and Clinical Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, is a leading expert in breast cancer research and known worldwide as a founding member of the breast cancer advocacy movement. In her continuing mission to eradicate breast cancer, she invented an intraductal catheter that has been designed to access and interrogate the ductalalveolar systems of the human breast. Dr. Love is committed to educating women about their health. Her book, Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book, has been described as “the bible for women with breast cancer” by the New York Times and has served to educate women about their health options. Dr. Love was appointed in 1998 by President Bill Clinton to the National Cancer Advisory Board and also serves on the Boards of the National Breast Cancer Coalition and the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. Dr. Love received her medical degree from SUNY Downstate Medical Center in New York and pursued her surgical training at Boston’s Beth Israel Hospital. She retired from the active practice of surgery to dedicate herself to the urgent work of breast cancer prevention.

22 October 2003
Dr. J. Craig Venter
Dr. J. Craig Venter, founder and president of the J. Craig Venter Institute, has played a leading role in sequencing and analyzing the human genome. A pioneer in genomic research, his accomplishments in decoding the genetic sequences of other organisms, including the fruit fly and mouse, have provided important scientific insights. Dr. Venter has published more than 200 research articles and is among the most frequently cited scientists in biology and medicine. Dr. Venter earned his Ph.D. in physiology and pharmacology from the University of California at San Diego and became a researcher at the National Institutes of Health. He was appointed professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, then later moved to the National Institutes of Health campus where he developed Expressed Sequence Tags or ESTs, a revolutionary new strategy for rapid gene discovery. Dr. Venter is the recipient of numerous scientific awards and public honors, and is the member of several prestigious science organizations, including the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the American Society for Microbiology.

17 April 2002
Varner Memorial Garden Dedication
Dedication of Garden and Sculpture in the Varner Courtyard
Sculptor: Sharon Que

Varner Arts Award
The first Varner Arts Award was presented to Maestro Neeme Järvi, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, for his artistic contributions to the local community and the worlds of music and performing arts. The award was accepted by Emil J. Kang, President and Executive Director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. A panel discussion on the creative process took place on 17 April 2002 under the auspices of the Varner Lecture Series that involved a number of Oakland University faculty.