2025 Theodore Talks: Getting TEDer All the Time
- BRAD LUCHT WITH SHIRLEY MOUER, THEODORE TALKS CO-CHAIRS
Believe it or not, I think we’re finally getting the hang of this Theodore Talks thing. In 2024, 2,665 members registered — a 208 percent increase over 2023 — with participants from 118 Local Groups, 49 states, and 10 countries joining us. It’s been our most engaging year yet. Some of you might have even learned something!
We’ve been asked how we select our topics. Frankly, I’ve given up trying to figure out what people might be interested in. One of the most well-attended talks was on horology — the study of time measurement and time measurement devices — a subject I had never heard of before Shirley brought it to my attention. Your topic suggestions are always welcome.
Of course, none of our growth could have happened without the terrific volunteers who help notify members about upcoming Theodore Talks: Kimberly Strickland, Michael J. Kravec, Steve Welch, Richard Herko, Alan Baltis, Alison Brown, Deborah Bell, Martha Confray, Tim Bentley, Bill Horton, Lily Noonan, and Heidi Conde. We’d also like to thank the chapter newsletter editors who share the talks and the Mensa Bulletin for championing them from the start.
Once again, the first six months of the year will feature talks related to the host city of the AG, in this case Chicago. Ernie Banks, Hall of Famer for the Chicago Cubs, coined the phrase “Let’s play two!” and that’s what we’ll offer in March: a doubleTEDer! March 23 will see a double feature of Theodore Talks, one on Chicago’s famous Shedd Aquarium and the other on the city’s best art deco skyscrapers.
We plan to extend our outreach further into Europe in 2026 and hope to expand into Mexico and South America as well. We already have four speakers confirmed, but if you have any suggestions, please forward them to us.
From the beginning, we’ve offered Theodore Talks to add more value to your membership. So many Mensans don’t live in large urban areas or are members of an inactive Local Group, and that’s why we keep doing what we do. Thank you for your support, and we hope you can join us this year. If you are interested in a Theodore Talks T-shirt (just 12 bucks!), email us at MensaTheodoreTalks@gmail.com and we’ll add you to our next order. To register for a specific talk, please use the corresponding event links below.
Jan. 26
Exploring the Universe: Citizen Science and Beyond With the Adler Planetarium and Zooniverse
Join Laura Trouille, Vice President of Science Engagement at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago and Principal Investigator for Zooniverse, for an engaging exploration into the world of citizen science and space discovery. As the world’s largest platform for people-powered research, Zooniverse empowers nearly 3 million volunteers to contribute to groundbreaking projects in astronomy, biology, and the humanities. Trouille will share stories of how Zooniverse has tackled scientific bottlenecks by combining the efforts of human volunteers with automated routines to process massive datasets — leading to innovations and discoveries across fields. From tagging animals in camera trap images to discovering planets around distant stars, Zooniverse opens the door for anyone to participate in real research.
Trouille will also introduce the Adler’s exciting new Other Worlds exhibit, an interactive journey through our solar system and exoplanet discovery. Featuring hands-on opportunities through the Zooniverse Planet Hunters project, the exhibit invites visitors to search actively for planets orbiting distant stars, providing an inspiring connection between citizen science and space exploration. Whether you’re curious about contributing from home or planning a visit to the Adler, this talk offers a unique glimpse into how public engagement is pushing the boundaries of scientific discovery. Register for this presentation here.
Feb. 23
Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites
Sweet steak, mother-in-law, Akutagawa, Italian beef, and deep-dish pizza are just some of the unique foods first conceived in Chicago.
In Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites, authors Monica Eng and David Hammond will discuss lesser-known mom-and-pop places that serve more affordable — but no less satisfying — food to tens of thousands of Chicagoans every day. Often, these smaller places are minority- or immigrant-owned; their book shines a light on the contributions and enduring creativity of street-level food purveyors who, faced with limited resources and unlimited ambition, spread deliciousness throughout the city.
This talk will cover all 30 foods discussed in the book, offering photos and brief descriptions of the many inventive culinary creations and their history. Register for this presentation here.
March 23 (1 p.m. Central)
Shedd Aquarium’s Centennial Voyage: Navigating a Century of Wonder
Since opening in 1930 as the world’s largest indoor aquarium, Shedd Aquarium has become a beacon for marine education and conservation, fostering deep connections between people and the aquatic world.
Approaching its 100th anniversary, Shedd is embarking on a thrilling transformation through its Centennial Commitment — a visionary initiative reimagining what an aquarium can be in the modern age. This bold undertaking aims to revolutionize the guest experience with immersive exhibits and cutting-edge technology, enhance animal care with state-of-the-art facilities, and expand Shedd’s global conservation efforts. Central to this transformation is an evolution of the aquarium experience itself. Historic galleries are being metamorphosed, and more than 40,000 square feet of new immersive spaces are being created. Mensans visiting Chicago in July can embark on captivating journeys offering fresh perspectives on the living world, featuring biodiverse environments, interactive exhibits, and up-close wildlife encounters — all designed to inspire wonder and cultivate a deeper connection to aquatic life.
Meghan Curran, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer at Shedd Aquarium, will delve into how this institution continues to evolve and innovate for the next generation. She will discuss how Shedd harnesses its rich history to inform groundbreaking changes benefiting both guests and animals. Register for this presentation here.
March 23 (3 p.m. Central)
Chicago’s Best Art Deco Skyscrapers
Influenced by cubism and ancient Middle Eastern art and architecture, art deco was a modern European style showcased to the world at the International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris in 1925. In the U.S., the new style ornamented tall office buildings built to meet the needs of the postwar business boom and reflected the optimism and prosperity associated with the Roaring ’20s.
This program, presented by the Chicago Architecture Center, will briefly describe deco’s origins and characteristics and then explore five downtown deco skyscrapers in detail, all of which are official city landmarks meticulously restored to their original glory. Register for this presentation here.
April 27
When the World Came to Chicago: The World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893
In 2003, Eric Larson’s book The Devil in the White City sparked widespread popular interest in the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, 1890s Chicago, and world’s fairs generally. While readers were enthralled by the grisly details of the murderous H.H. Holmes, the fair was more than just a setting for a true crime tale (and was not, in fact, the location of the murders); it was an important moment in Chicago’s history that set the trend for subsequent fairs for decades.
In this lavishly illustrated presentation, Dr. Nicholas McCormack will examine a brief history of world’s fairs and the context for Chicago playing host to the first one in the U.S. You’ll learn how the fair was designed, what its intended purpose was, and its impact on Chicago and the future of world’s fairs, especially Chicago’s second world’s fair in 1933-34. There is a vibrant scholarship — a historiography — of world’s fairs that highlights serious issues such as colonialism, classism, and racism, which many popular tellings of the Columbian Exposition and other world’s fairs either ignore or distort. This talk will engage with those debates and issues as well. Register for this presentation here.
May 25
Sweet Home: The Storied History of Chicago Blues
Journey through blues music’s rich history and evolution, tracing its origins from the deep Southern fields to the bustling streets of Chicago, where it found its modern-day home. Explore the sociocultural forces that shaped the blues, its migration during the Great Migration, and how Chicago became a beacon for blues innovation, producing legendary artists and iconic sounds.
Jacob Schulz, blues musician and historian, will discuss the current challenges facing the blues, including its fading mainstream presence and efforts to preserve its legacy for future generations. This talk will not only highlight the deep historical roots of the blues but also showcase how it continues to resonate as a timeless and influential art form today. You might even learn about a few joints to visit while at the AG! Register for this presentation here.
June 22
How Corn Changed Itself and Then Changed Everything Else: The Role Agriculture Played in the Early Days of Chicago
About 10,000 years ago, a weedy grass growing in Mexico possessed a strange trait known as a “jumping gene” and transformed into a larger and more useful grass — the cereal grass that we would come to know as maize and then corn. Nurtured by Native Americans, this grain would transform the Americas even before First Contact. After First Contact, it spanned the globe, but it also drove westward expansion in North America, contributing to the building of cities and inspiring innovators and entrepreneurs.
Thanks to corn, the Midwest was settled faster than any other region in history, and Chicago became immensely influential. From the Chicago Stock Yards to the Chicago Board of Trade, the city changed how the world did business. However, vampires, whiskey, Henry Ford, time zones, Fritos, and the Chicago Bears are also part of this remarkable story. As Margaret Visser noted in Much Depends on Dinner, “Without corn, North America — and most particularly modern, technological North America — is inconceivable.”
Cynthia Clampitt, author of Midwest Maize: How Corn Shaped the U.S. Heartland, will present what may prove to be the corniest Theodore Talk ever! Register for this presentation here.
July 27
Free Speech Opportunist: Elon Musk’s Degradation of the Town Square
Social media is often considered to be a democratic space. The platforms make it easy for nearly anyone to say nearly anything to seemingly everyone, and many people hail the results as the purest form of free speech. Elon Musk latched onto that notion as one of the reasons he decided to buy Twitter and promote it as the world’s town square. But as the platform faced criticism from users and advertisers, Musk’s attempt to enshrine it as a marketplace of ideas has been challenged by the marketplace of commerce. One of his reactions: restricting speech.
Prof. Stephen Wolgast, Knight Chair in Audience and Community Engagement for News and journalism professor at the University of Kansas, will demonstrate how the man who calls himself a free-speech absolutist places a higher value on the dollar than others’ ideas and show how the notion that X is a town square fails on a number of counts. Register for this presentation here.
Aug. 24
Spotting the Signs of & Preventing Child Sex Trafficking
Child sex trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provisioning, obtaining, patronizing, or soliciting of a minor for the purpose of a commercial sex act. Traffickers target vulnerable children and gain control over them using a variety of manipulative methods. Victims frequently fall prey to traffickers who lure them in with an offer of food, clothes, attention, friendship, love, and a seemingly safe place to sleep. No child is immune to becoming a victim of child sex trafficking, regardless of the child’s race, age, socioeconomic status, or location, and every child involved in this form of commercial sexual exploitation is a victim.
This Theodore Talk will focus on how children are lured into the dark world of sex trafficking and exploitation. Attendees will identify the dangers of technology — including strategies used by child predators — discover how to identify a child in trouble, and learn some best practices on how to be a child’s trusted adult or a trusted child advocate.
Presenter Susan Burkholder is the Lead Prevention Education Trainer at Ransomed Life, a nonprofit fighting child sex trafficking and exploitation in San Antonio and surrounding areas. Since 2015, Ransomed Life has trained and brought awareness to more than 90,000 community members, school staff, counselors, medical professionals, parents, and youth. Register for this presentation here.
Sept. 28
Antisemitism: Evolution and Escalation
Antisemitism has a long history, well beyond the 20th century. Dr. Shelly Cline, historian and Director of Education at the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, will examine the evolution of antisemitism from religiously motivated antipathy in early modern times to the economic and pseudoscientific antisemitism of the 19th and 20th centuries, and finally to the politically driven antisemitism of today. This talk will also provide the tools to identify antisemitic tropes and dog whistles that pervade our social media landscape. Register for this presentation here.
Oct. 26
U.S. First Ladies: More Than the Women Behind the Men
Since Martha Washington was greeted by her husband in New Jersey and escorted to the nation’s first capital in New York, on the presidential yacht with a multi-gun salute and cheers, the presidency has been a partnership between the president and his spouse. Because the U.S. president is both head of government and head of state, the head of state responsibilities to perform rituals and engage in social activities often fall to a spouse or surrogate. For more than 200 years, presidential spouses have served the country through “soft power” — using social functions to bring people together and even create a bipartisan environment. However, they have done much more, especially since Eleanor Roosevelt took the role in new directions.
Presidential wives were not always called “first lady,” and they were not always able to use their influence publicly, but they exerted influence in other ways that shaped history. Little is taught in history classes about the women who serve their country in a role that is not legislated or constitutionally created, has no rulebook, and receives no pay.
Dr. Diana B. Carlin, Professor Emerita of Communication at Saint Louis University and co-author of Remember the FIRST Ladies: The Legacies of America’s History-Making Women, will inform you how these women helped and continue to make history. Register for this presentation here.