Later this month, the UR Now news digest will feature a new episode of Spider Talks, the premiere of season 5 — and the first episode hosted by President Kevin F. Hallock.

Spider Talks, which launched in spring 2018, is a video series that elevates Richmond’s academic excellence. Part talk show, part TED talk, part master class, the episodes showcase the research, teaching, and mentorship of faculty as they share it with the president. The latest episode will be the 30^th in the series.

The new season kicks off later this month with law professor Hank Chambers, an expert on voting rights, white-collar crime, and legal issues related to discrimination. The conversation is timely as midterm elections and hotly contested races make headline news. 

The remainder of the season 5 lineup includes the following faculty guests: 

• November: Kathryn H. Jacobsen, a health studies professor and an epidemiologist who specializes in disease control and prevention.
• February: History professor Manuella Meyer, who examines the social and political history of medicine and mental illness in Latin America.
• April: Risk management expert Shital Thekdi, an analytics and operations professor in the Robins School of Business.