Virtual Event Recordings

Watch recordings of some of our best virtual events!

In our continued effort to provide our alumni with meaningful online programming during this unique time, we’ve been hosting a wide variety of virtual events to help support our alumni base around the world. Explore our library of videos below and join us LIVE for future online events. View our schedule of upcoming events here. 

History of Controversial Elections

Dr. Taylor explores early presidential elections (e.g. 1800, 1824, 1860, 1876), which shows that we have had messy elections in the past, as well as the present. As history shapes the present and informs the future, this examination of previous elections will provide the prologue for what is happening today. An opportunity for discussion follows the lecture.


Climate Tipping Point in the Amazon

Dr. Bush discusses how human activity is impacting the vast Amazonian rainforest. His new research finds that this invaluable region is nearing a catastrophic ecological tipping point and could be replaced by savanna, which is grassland with a few trees, within our lifetime. "Warming alone could induce the tipping point by mid-century, but if the present policies that turn a blind eye to forest destruction aren't stopped, we could reach the tipping point much sooner, " Bush says. "Beyond the loss of wildlife, the cascading effects of losing Amazonian rainforest would alter rainfall across the hemisphere. This is not a remote problem, but one of global importance and critical significance to food security that should concern us all."


Diversity, Inclusion, Equity & Allyship—Lunch & Learn Lecture


Florida Tech Ph.D. student and lecturer Jackie Noto explores some privileges and biases that one may have and explains why diversity, inclusion, and equity are important in one's workplace and social circles. She helps us differentiate between access, diversity, inclusion, equality, and equity and helps us generate a list of actionable behaviors that will help us be better allies in our communities.


Virtual Lunch & Learn Lecture: Aerobatic Flight

A pilot who receives upset recovery or aerobatic training will push their skill level outside of their normal envelope. You will be able to recover your aircraft if it departs normal flight and ends up in a situation you may have never experienced. Whether you are a Florida Tech graduate who is currently working as a professional aviator or if you’re a family member or friend of a pilot, this lecture will teach you about the “cheapest aviation insurance you can buy”: proper aerobatic training.


Virtual Lunch & Learn Lecture: The History & Evolution of African American Music

African American culture and existential struggles have been expressed through many different musical genres throughout the last 400 years, from folk spirituals, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, and jazz… all the way to the most recent styles of hip-hop and rap. Music has played an essential role in African Americans’ fight for freedom, equal rights, and equity—aiding in their liberation and the Civil Rights Movement—and has been central to their survival. Prof. Harrell will explore these different styles of music and how they played a part in establishing the African American lexicon, mainly focusing on the latest emerging genres: hip-hop and rap.


The Current State of Coral Reefs

A Virtual Lunch and Learn Lecture hosted by the Florida Tech Alumni Association. Dr. van Woesik provides a background on coral reef systems, how and why they grow the way they do, symbiotic relationships that exist, as well as their current status in the present climate. He explores the key processes that lead to changes in reef communities, the threats we are now seeing, and what work can be done in terms of coral restoration.


Restoration of the Indian River Lagoon

Dr. Hunsucker & Dr. Fox from Florida Tech’s department of ocean engineering and marine sciences provide an update on the efforts of Florida Tech's Indian River Lagoon Research Institute (IRLRI). They cover current trends regarding the health of the lagoon, as well as provide specifics on the IRLRI's projects focused on lagoon flushing, nutrient reduction, and ecological restoration.


Alumni Impacts Interview Series with Angie Lassman ’12, ’14 M.S.

Angie Lassman, a successful broadcast meteorologist and environmental reporter, speaks about her Florida Tech experience, her career path, what she's passionate about, current challenges in her industry, where she is going next, and much more.


What's Happening at Florida Tech: A Conversation with Dr. Wes Sumner

Dr. Sumner gives an overview of everything that's been going on at Florida Tech and our goals moving forward.

Lunch & Learn Lecture: Shark Reproduction, Conservation and the Myth of Shark Attacks

Dr. Toby Daly-Engel, director of the Shark Conservation Lab at Florida Tech, leads the discussion on why shark reproduction is so dangerous, why you are more likely to get attacked by a vending machine, and what you can do to help protect shark populations.

Space Junk, Robotics, and Creating a Sustainable Space Economy | Lunch & Learn Lecture

Dr. Markus Wilde is an associate professor and director of the Orion Lab at Florida Tech. He has participated in the NRC Research Associateship Program and served as a postdoctoral associate at the Spacecraft Robotics Laboratory at the Naval Postgraduate School. His research focuses on autonomous and telerobotic capabilities for the rendezvous and capture of space objects.

Converting Waste to Energy and Sustainable Materials | Lunch & Learn Lecture

The organic fraction of municipal solid wastes largely containing food wastes is a huge economic and environmental liability for the planet. In this lecture, up-cycling organic fraction of municipal solid wastes into energy and materials will be introduced and challenges of individual.

A Look Back At The Origin Of Florida Tech

In celebration of Florida Tech’s 63rd birthday, Dr. Gordon Patterson, the university’s resident historian, shares stories of Florida Tech’s founding and rich history.

Zombies vs. Vampires: The Role of the Undead in Popular Culture | Lunch & Learn

Dr. Angela Tenga presents a comparative study of the popular appeal of zombies and vampires, delving into the historical elements to examine how two undead creatures evolved to reflect some of the same cultural fears—but how their cultural relevance also comes from strikingly different sources. Together, we review some scenes from different films to observe their portrayals, cultural significance, similarities, and differences.

Cryptocurrencies & NFTs: The Real Deal Or A Bubble? | Lunch & Learn Lecture

Tim Muth, an instructor in the College of Business at Florida Tech, discusses Bitcoin, Dogecoin, stablecoins, NFTs, and other new financial products that have been getting a lot of publicity in the recent years.

Virtual Alumni Lecture on Social Media

In our Digital Age, no professional is exempt from managing their digital footprint. What we post, share, and publish online has the potential to enhance our careers or destroy them.

A Case Against the Internet of Things

Internet-of-things (IoT) devices have become commonplace in our homes, binding us to an array of sensors and actuators to facilitate our connected lives. Digital voice assistants listen for our next command, while Wi-Fi doorbells protect our porches from package thieves. However, these devices introduce security and privacy risks. In this talk, we examine the research at Florida Tech's IoT Security & Privacy Lab to study this risk.

 

Managing Your Career in the Ongoing COVID Economy

This is a virtual presentation provided by career coach and alumnus Paul Cecala, Class of 1985.

The Emerging Frontier of Astrobiology | Lunch & Learn Lecture

Dr. Manasvi Lingam, will briefly delve into the definition, history, and scope of this field, and its rich historical connections with Florida Tech.