World Affairs Luncheon Seminars

Munley LawSchemel Forum events are sponsored by Munley Law.
Munley Law is a proud sponsor of the Schemel Forum. For over 65 years, their personal injury attorneys have been helping injury victims, including car accidents, truck accidents, and workers' compensation claims. There is a difference. Choose carefully.

All seminars are from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Buffet Lunch is served. 
Luncheon Seminar Fees: $30 per per person 

Friday, February 27

Advancing Decision Sciences with Artificial Intelligence: Swarm Intelligence, Predictive Analytics, and Executive AI Leadership

Professor Anasse Bari has led transformative research in artificial intelligence and predictive analytics—work that has saved lives through early disease prediction, reshaped Wall Street with AI-driven investment tools, accelerated the discovery of new energy sources, and strengthened civic engagement, election forecasting, and political strategy. This talk will explain how swarm intelligence—AI inspired by the collective behavior of bird flocks, dolphin pods, and ant colonies—is driving new algorithms that generate forward-looking insights in complex environments. It will feature case studies led and deployed by Professor Bari, including predictive modeling for COVID-19 severity, real-time election forecasting and public opinion modeling, swarm-based trading, and AI tools accelerating research and commercialization in emerging energy sources such as Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR), and will introduce the BARI AI Enterprise Transformation Framework for Executives.

Anasse Bari, Ph.D.,
Professor of Computer Science, Courant Institute School for Mathematics, Computing, and Data Science, New York University; Director, NYU’s Predictive Analytics and AI Research Lab; Contributor, CNN and the Washington Post.

Brennan Hall, Rose Room, 509 • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friday, March 6

Commemorating and Interpreting the American Revolution 250 Years Later

The years 2025–2033 mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War, with particular emphasis on 2026, the year the United States formally declared independence. While major milestones often dominate public commemoration, the defeats, glories, stories, and often-overlooked faceless individuals of the Revolution merit equal attention. James McKane examines the American Revolution through living history, drawing upon his extensive experiences organizing, leading, and participating in historical reenactments. These experiences include rowing across the Delaware River on Christmas Day, recreating hundreds of period-accurate uniforms, and even constructing eighteenth-century fortifications for Ken Burns’s recent documentary on the war. By deepening his understanding of the period’s challenges, he is able to interpret them effectively for audiences to better their appreciation of the history.

James McKane,
Living history interpreter and artisan; advisor for Ken Burns’ The American Revolution; leader of multiple living history organizations; Design Patent Examiner, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; B.A. in History, University of Scranton, Class of 2020.

Brennan Hall, Rose Room, 509 • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thursday, March 26

The Federal Government Today: Institutional Pressures and the Way Forward

At a time of heightened public concern about governance, trust, and democratic stability, Senator Bob Casey offers a thoughtful examination of how the federal government operates today. Drawing on 18 years in the U.S. Senate representing Pennsylvania, this talk explores the role of federal institutions, the norms and constraints that guide them, and the pressures they face in an era of polarization, rapid change, and public skepticism. Senator Casey focuses on how governing systems work in practice—where they remain resilient, where they are under strain, and how accountability and constitutional guardrails function across branches of government. The talk concludes by considering a constructive path forward, including the roles of civic engagement, institutional responsibility, and informed public participation in sustaining democratic life.

The Honorable Bob Casey, Jr.,
Leahy Distinguished Fellow in Public Service, The University of Scranton; former United States Senator from Pennsylvania (2007-2025); Treasurer of Pennsylvania (2005-2007); Auditor General of Pennsylvania (1997-2005).

McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center, 407 • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Tuesday, May 5

Wise Words: Ancient Egypt’s Wisdom Tradition

The literary genre known as “instructions” or “wisdom literature” is among the earliest in ancient Egyptian writing. Emerging in the Old Kingdom, these texts continued to be composed for more than two millennia, extending into the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. Although their structure and tone evolved over time, their fundamental purpose remained consistent. Typically framed as a father addressing to his son, instruction texts conveyed moral, ethical, and practical guidance for achieving a successful life, presenting the complied wisdom of the society that produced them. This tradition reflects the broader Egyptian interest in divine wisdom, embodied in deities such as Thoth and Maat, who oversaw knowledge, writing, and the proper order of the world. This talk will examine the central themes and motifs found in Egyptian wisdom literature and consider how they resonate with didactic traditions from neighboring ancient cultures.

Jennifer Houser Wegner, Ph.D.,
Curator, Egyptian Section, Penn Museum, and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of Pennsylvania.

Brennan Hall, Rose Room, 509 • 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For more information and to register for programs, contact:
570-941-4740
schemelforum@scranton.edu

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