College of Humanities and Fine Arts hosts Humanities+ Series this spring

 

MURRAY, Ky. — The College of Humanities and Fine Arts at Murray State University is pleased to announce its Humanities+ Series for the spring 2026 semester.  

Through innovative programming and community engagement, the Humanities+ Series fosters creative, intellectual and educational opportunities. It showcases the work and achievements of Murray State faculty, students and alumni, as well as invited professionals in the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences. The series encompasses public lectures, teaching workshops and cultural events focused on cultivating the skills in order to live and learn well. 

 The spring 2026 speaking events will kick off on Thursday, Jan. 29,  with “Strengthening Disaster Preparedness.” Dr. Ayorinde Ogunyiola, assistant professor of Political Science at Murray State University, and Dr. Oluwabunmi Dada, assistant professor of Occupational Safety and Health, will discuss disaster preparedness in rural communities, drawing on their research on flash flood risk perception and early warning systems. The talk will explore strategies to improve risk communication, advance equity and access and encourage behaviors that strengthen community disaster readiness.

 Ogunyiola’s  work explores how climate risk, digital agriculture and governance shape rural livelihoods and socio-economic resilience. His research bridges social science, technology and agriculture, examining how emerging tools such as precision farming, automation and data systems affect labor, adaptation and inequality in both the Global South and the Global North. 

 Dada holds a Ph.D. degree in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research interests integrate toxicology, environmental science and public health, with a strong emphasis on health equity and vulnerable populations.

 The series continues on Thursday, March 5, with "Shifting Landscapes: A Photographic Chronicle of Humanity and Nature in Western Kentucky.” Assistant Professor of Art Cintia Segovia Figueroa, and Professor of Plant Ecology Dr. Kate He will discuss their collaborative project funded by a grant from the Kentucky Arts Council.

 On Thursday, April 2, Dr. Amy McCann of the Department of Music will present "Making it Stick(er): The Gamification of Skill Acquisition and Team Building,” a pedagogical workshop that explores her use of “gamification” in the classroom as a tool for student success.

 The speaker series will conclude on Thursday, April 9 with “The Blank Page and Burnout: Creative Arts for Restoration and Resilience.” Douglas Hester, MD, associate professor of Anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and alumnus of Murray State’s MFA-Creative Writing program, will speak on how creative practices can prevent or treat burnout, regardless of profession and stage of career. 

 The spring series will also include three documentary screenings on Tuesday afternoons: Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin on Feb. 3, Anne Braden: Southern Patriot on March 10, and Kentucky: An American Story on April 7.

 All events in the Humanities+ Series take place at 4 p.m. in Faculty Hall 208 on Murray State’s campus, and are free and open to the public. 

 For more information about the events, or to see the full calendar for the year, visit murraystate.edu/humanities or contact Dr. Josh Adair, Humanities Program Coordinator, at jadair1@murraystate.edu.