Penn State Shenango will begin its 2012-13 Faculty Lecture Series with associate professor of history Philip Nash, who will speak on "The Cuban Missile Crisis After 50 Years" at 7 p.m. Oct. 29. The lecture will take place in Room 105 of Sharon Hall, located on Penn Avenue in downtown Sharon, Pa.
The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 remains the most perilous moment of the Cold War by far. Nash will explore the history of this event, paying particular attention to how recently-released historical evidence has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the crisis and even exploded a few myths surrounding it. Audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions after Nash’s presentation.
Nash is author of "The Other Missiles of October: Eisenhower, Kennedy and the Jupiters, 1957-1963" (1997), as well as numerous articles and book chapters, including a textbook module on Kennedy and Cuba. Nash’s current research focuses on the first American woman ambassadors.
Although Nash specializes in recent U.S. and U.S. foreign relations history, he also teaches courses on the Holocaust, African-American history, Vietnam, World War II, and international studies. In 2010, he taught history as a Fulbright Visiting Professor at the National University of Singapore. He held a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard University and taught in Nevada, Tennessee and Ohio before coming to Penn State Shenango in 1999.
Nash was honored with the Penn State Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008 and the Penn State Shenango Leonard Riforgiato Teaching Award in 2003 and 2007. He is the coordinator of the campus Letters, Arts and Sciences baccalaureate degree program, and, along with Brandi Baros, assistant professor of biology, coordinates the campus Honors Program. Nash is the adviser to the campus History Club, co-adviser to the International Cultures Club, and coordinator for the International Studies Certificate program.
The 2012-13 Faculty Lecture Series will continue with Steven Brewer, assistant professor of administration of justice at Penn State Shenango, who will speak on "Drug and Alcohol-Related Police Corruption" on Dec. 3, and Matthew Ciszek, head librarian at Penn State Shenango, who will speak on "Campus Pride: Supporting LGBT Students in Higher Education" on April 22.
For more information, contact the Penn State Shenango Academic Affairs Office at 724-983-2825.