Fall 2026 Series

The Swarthmore Discussion Group will hold its fall series at the Inn at Swarthmore. The series will consist of four monthly Wednesday evening presentations in September, October, November, and December.  All presentations include a catered dinner.

SEPT. 16, 2026

Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time — An Imminent Era of Revolutionary Discovery

Beth Willman, CEO, LSST Discovery Alliance

After 25 years of development, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) is creating a once-in-a-lifetime map and movie of our universe. In its first year, LSST will collect more data than all previous optical and infrared telescopes combined. In addition to showing remarkable images, Willman will discuss how the technical marvel, open data, and science community-centered design of LSST create the conditions for revolutionizing humankind’s understanding of our place in the universe.

OCT. 21, 2026

Natural History, Human History: Finding Ourselves in Crum Woods and Beyond

Betsy Bolton, Alexander Griswold Cummins Professor of English, Swarthmore College

Which local inhabitants shaped early colonial encounters, transforming landscapes across the continent? What connects a famous Elvis song about an impoverished woman to the Declaration of Independence? Swarthmore’s Crum Creek and Woodlands offer a fascinating microcosm of colonial settlement and its ecological impacts, including impacts on human residents. With photographs, poems, videos, and anecdotes, we’ll explore some of the unexpected connections the Woods have to offer, including impacts reaching far beyond our borders.

Nov. 18, 2026

Behavioral Economics, Social Media, and AI

Syon Bhanot, Associate Professor of Economics, Swarthmore College

In an age of social media and artificial intelligence, our digital social tools and technologies are developing rapidly. Yet at the individual level we are more static — we are stubbornly human. Behavioral economics investigates how humans behave in social and economic environments, and how that behavior deviates from the calculating rationality that economics often assumes. This talk explores how the field of behavioral economics might inform how we think about and navigate a rapidly changing technological world as individuals, communities, and societies.

DEC. 9, 2026

Priorities, Partnerships, and Politics in Historic Preservation: Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park

Lucy Strackhouse, Former Senior Director of Preservation and Property Management, Fairmount Park Conservancy

Fairmount Park of Philadelphia encompasses over 10,200 acres and includes an eclectic roster of sites: historic house properties, recreation and education centers, music venues, and open spaces. Philadelphia relies on many partners to invest in, maintain, and manage these publicly owned assets. In this talk, we will discuss the history of how resources get allocated in this sprawling entity — and how the historic properties most in need of preservation are often the most underfunded.