Speakers Bureau

Request a Speaker

Requests for speakers can be submitted to the Center for Educational Outreach, which will handle speaker assignment, scheduling, and related arrangements. There is no cost for this service, but speaker assignment is subject to the availability of individual faculty and staff.

To learn more about scheduling a speaker, or to schedule a speaker for your group or class, please call us at 734-647-1402 or please click here.

Join the Speakers Bureau

If you would like to join the Speakers Bureau please click here. The information you provide will be used to create your speaker profile. Once you submit the form, the information will be added to the Speakers Bureau database. If you have questions about the Speakers Bureau or require assistance completing this form, please call the Center for Educational Outreach at 734-647-1402 or send an email to umceo@umich.edu.

List of Speakers

Nick Collins, Ph.D.

William (Nick) Collins is currently Executive Director of the Center for Educational Outreach at the University of Michigan. From 1992–2008, he served as Director of U-M’s Comprehensive Studies Program and Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology. Dr. Collins has previously served as Director of the Learning Skills Center at Cornell University and as Staff Psychologist and Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. A native of Detroit, Michigan, Collins earned his bachelor’s degree and his PhD in Psychology from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the Association for Psychological Science, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues. Dr. Collins is available to speak on college preparation, academic success and career development.

 

Anthony Elliott

Anthony Elliott, Professor of Music at the University of Michigan is in great demand as a soloist, chamber music performer, and teacher. Prof. Elliott has given master classes at most of America's leading music programs including the Cleveland Institute of Music, Eastman School of Music, Indiana University, Oberlin Conservatory, Peabody Conservatory, Chicago's Music Center of the North Shore, and Interlochen Arts Academy. A frequent guest soloist with major orchestras, Prof. Elliott has performed most of the standard concerto repertory with such orchestras as the New York Philharmonic and the Detroit Symphony. He has appeared in chamber music with the present and former concertmasters of the Berlin Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He also performs regularly with the Michigan Chamber Players in Ann Arbor. Equally at home with the bow or the baton, recently he conducted the opening concert of the Guelph Spring Festival, one of Canada's oldest classical music festivals, featuring the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. Other recent engagements include the Sphinx Symphony, and the Washington, Alabama, Maryland, Alaska, and North Dakota All State Orchestras. Prof. Elliott is also active in youth outreach and educational activities, including work with the Sphinx Organization and serving for many years as Music Director of the Houston Youth Symphony and Ballet. Prof. Elliott is available to present on "Making a Difference though Music, New Paths to Teamwork and Perseverance."

 

Billy Joe Evans, Ph.D.

Billy Joe Evans, Chemistry Professor Emeritus, has been named Faculty Associate for the Center for Educational Outreach. Professor Evans earned his undergraduate degree at Morehouse College and his Ph. D. in Chemistry from the University of Chicago. He came to the University of Michigan in 1970 as Assistant Professor of Geology and Mineralogy and joined the Chemistry Department faculty in 1974. Professor Evans has received numerous national and international awards including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Math and Engineering Mentoring from the National Science Foundation. He has served as consultant for a wide variety of institutions, including Inkster Public Schools, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Naval Research Laboratories, among many others. As Faculty Associate Professor Evans will give guest presentations to schools, consult with school districts, and advise CEO on programs.

 

Teri Hogg

Teri Hogg has over 20 years experience working with at-risk pre-school children. Her experience as a Head Start teacher led her to work in early childhood applied research including Early Childhood Longitudinal Study as well as Ready to Read and Project Great Start at the University of Michigan, specializing in child and classroom assessment and observation and improving the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators. She currently is the project coordinator for Jumpstart Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan, training and supporting teams of UM students in their efforts to work with at-risk or low-income children in preschool classrooms, building language, literacy social and initiative skills. Teri is available to speak about fostering a successful early learning environment for young children including language and literacy, the physical environment and building curiosity in children.

 

Helki Jackson

Helki Jackson has a background in education and communications in the arts. Her experience as a youth/family mentor led her to secondary education where she taught in public schools for six years. An alumnus of Eastern Michigan University, she has a bachelor's degree in communications, and has used her educational background and personal experience to create specialized programs and presentations for middle and high school students. Along with giving guest presentations about planning and preparation for college, Helki is available for motivational and interactive speaking engagements on topics that include life skills and self-empowerment.

 

Nkem Khumbah, Ph.D.

Nkem Khumbah is a mathematics lecturer with the Comprehensive Studies Program at the University of Michigan. He holds a BS in Mathematics from the University of the District of Columbia, a MS in mathematics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a Ph.D. in Information Technology from George Mason University. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Michigan, Dr. Khumbah was an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at North Georgia College and State University. He also held research fellowships at Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (UCLA) and the Mathematical Science Research Institute (UC Berkeley). Dr. Khumbah’s professional interests include teaching mathematics and working with high schools to deliver mathematics instruction that is aligned with college expectations. He is available to speak on topics related to mathematics, science and society including the historical development of mathematics and science in Africa.

Timothy McKay, Ph.D.

Timothy McKay, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Physics and Astronomy, currently serves as Director of the LS&A Honors Program. He earned his undergraduate degree at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA and his Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. Professor McKay's research focuses on fundamental questions of observational astrophysics and cosmology. What is the nature and distribution of dark and luminous matter in the Universe? How has the global expansion of the universe changed with time? How do we know that the big bang really happened? He likes to teach large introductory physics courses, including a new course sequence on the physics of life. Professor McKay enjoys giving public lectures on a wide variety of topics, especially related to astrophysics, cosmology, and the origins of everything.

 

Amy Prevo

Amy Prevo has over 15 years experience working to increase educational opportunity for underrepresented and underserved students. She served as the Associate Director then Director of the Upward Bound program at Eastern Michigan University and as a Faculty Facilitator in the Learning Assistance Center at Schoolcraft College. Amy earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Olivet College and a master’s degree in Guidance & Counseling from Eastern Michigan University. Amy is available to speak on college planning, career development, motivating for academic success, study skills, college access for students, and parental involvement in academics.

 

E. Royster Harper Ph.D.

E. Royster Harper, a graduate of Cass Tech High School, an alumna of the University of Michigan (B.A. and M.A.), and doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, has served as Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Michigan since June 1999.  As the Vice President, she is responsible for staff of 1300 employees, a budget of about $120 million, and campus facilities that include 16 residence halls, 7 full-service dining rooms and 7 convenience stores, and three campus unions.

Prior to her present position, she served as the Senior Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students. In earlier positions, of Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Assistant to the Dean of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, she led efforts to facilitating better integration of students’ experiences inside and outside of the classroom and to improve the quality of student life. 

Royster Harper has held teaching positions at Wayne County Community College and with the Atlanta, Georgia Public School System and was a research associate in the Department of Curriculum at the University of Georgia.

She has been involved in a number of community activities, serving on the The Ann Arbor Board of Education, on the Board of Directors of the Ann Arbor Hands-on Museum and the Executive Board of the Ann Arbor branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.  She has been actively involved in a number of professional associations and is on the board of several major organizations.

 

Levi Thompson, Ph.D.

Professor Thompson is Richard E. Balzhiser Professor of Chemical Engineering, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Hydrogen Energy Technology Laboratory. He earned his B.ChE. from the University of Delaware, and M.S.E. degrees in Chemical Engineering and Nuclear Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Research in his group focuses primarily on the design, characterization and development of nanostructured catalytic, electrocatalytic and adsorbent materials. Technological applications for the work include hydrogen production from carbon neutral resources, fuel cells and batteries. From 2001 to 2005, he served as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education in the College of Engineering and presently is Director of the Michigan-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation. Professor Thompson is recipient of a 2006 Michiganian of the Year Award for his research, entrepreneurship, and recruitment and mentoring of minority students, National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, Engineering Society of Detroit Gold Award, Union Carbide Innovation Recognition Award and Dow Chemical Good Teaching Award. He is also co-founder, with his wife, of T/J Technologies, a developer of nanomaterials for advanced batteries and subsidiary of A123Systems. Professor Thompson is Consulting Editor for the AIChE Journal, and member of the External Advisory Committee for the Center of Advanced Materials for Purification of Water with Systems (NSF Science and Technology Center at the University of Illinois), National Academy's Chemical Sciences Roundtable, and AIChE Chemical Engineering Technology Operating Council.

 

Deric Williams

Deric B. Williams II is a Senior Financial Aid Officer in the outreach unit of the Office of Financial Aid. Deric speaks to students of all ages and backgrounds about affording a college education. Financial aid is considered a complex subject that often deters families from applying for aid. Understanding the details about financial aid, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and being aware of what options exist are a few goals Deric has while presenting. Deric has been helping and motivating students to pursue a college education since he was an undergraduate student at Wayne State University, where he earned a bachelor's in Business. Along with speaking about financial aid, Deric is also available to speak about college preparation.