Green Matter: The Thinking Plant
You no doubt think about the plants you have in your home and garden. But do your plants think about YOU? Plants can taste, smell, hear, respond to touch, and even change their environment. Does that make them smart? Our behavior depends on our brain and central nervous system, which plants seem to lack. So how do they manage their behavior? Do plants have a different kind of brain? Can we say they are intelligent? Help us try to settle this issue with a lively back-and-forth about intelligence, and who (or what) has it.

Heidi Appel
Dean, The Honors College

Jack Schultz
Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Penn State University and former Director of the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center at the University of Missouri

When Weather Meets Whiskey: How Climate Shapes the Spirit
From the scorching summers of Texas Hill Country to the mild, humid seasons of Kentucky, climate leaves its fingerprint on every drop of whiskey. Temperature swings, humidity levels, and air quality all influence how spirit and oak interact — pulling out different flavors, aromas, and textures. In this conversation, we’ll explore the science behind climate aging, how Milam & Greene’s award-winning barrels mature across multiple states, and why “terroir” isn’t just for wine. Together, we’ll taste and compare whiskeys aged in different climates to see — and sip — the difference for ourselves.

Blair Ault, M.L.S.
Honors Alumna and National Brand Manager for Milam & Greene Distillery

Does Gender Matter in Art?  
Do you think you see art differently because of your gender? Do you perceive art differently depending on the gender of the artist?  To what degree does the representation of gender amongst artists, art appreciators, and art curators matter? Share your opinions on these questions that have been much discussed and debated in the museum world in recent years.

Helga Aurisch 
Curator, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Liquid Gold: Water in a Thirsty World
Water, a seemingly endless resource that we take for granted, is becoming increasingly precious. The key driver for water’s rising value today is demand. Surging population needs are outstripping existing water supplies for farming, ranching, manufacturing, and energy. It’s an exciting and challenging time for water investing and innovation.

Michelle Belco
Faculty, The Honors College

From Vine to Glass: Exploring Quality and Business Dynamics with Jackson Family Wines
What does quality mean and why does it matter? We will explore and taste through an industry leader’s wines and discuss the different functions of the beverage business.

Tyler Calvin
UH Alumnus and Region Manager, Jackson Family Wines

Jay Dillard
Wine Representative, Jackson Family Wines 

H-Town History: An Idiosyncratic Tour of an Idiosyncratic Town
Houston always been an entrepreneurial city with a history populated by interesting characters, dramatic events, and unique places (some now gone or forgotten).   Join us as we talk about some of them, starting with the Allen Brothers who, after founding the city, circulated ads to entice settlers with drawings depicting the new city looking “more like idyllic hilly European hamlet than a bayou village swarming with mosquitoes and people living in tents” in the words of the Houston Chronicle.  We expect all those sitting around the table will share their stories and memories of the interesting characters behind the origins of the University of Houston, Rice University, the Texas Medical Center, NASA’s Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Space Center), the Astrodome, among others, and of the major business, political, and cultural events (high and low) that shaping city’s history.  There will be photos (and we hope participants will share some of theirs) and there will be some readings taken from newspapers, histories, and memoirs.

Jeff Dodd
Honors Alumnus and Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP

Frank Goldberg
Chairman, Briar Capital

Rock Brands: What the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Others Can Teach Us About Personal Branding
Developing a personal brand isn’t just for professional athletes, politicians, reality show personalities and celebrities. Students and professionals benefit from cultivating a brand that is communicative, consistent and adaptable. Some of the perfect branding role models are the rock stars of yesterday (and today as well). From Elvis to the Beatles to Zeppelin and beyond, popular musicians have shaped their lasting image and legacy through effective branding. Their tactics and strategies aren’t limited to the stage or recording studio. Instead, the brand qualities that transformed these artists into cultural icons can be applied to the office, classroom, careers and more.

Mike Emery
Executive Director of University Communication, UH

Tech Sprints, People Stroll: Catching up with AI
How can we enhance human work & life in the age of AI? How do we embrace the benefits of AI to support human flourishing? How do we minimize its downsides? 

Hanneke Faber
Honors Alumna and CEO of Logitech

We Hold These Truths: The Declaration at 250!
This year is the 250th Anniversary of the birth of the Free and Independent States of north America! Join us as we celebrate, and discuss, our nation's founding document -- a timely and timeless statement of principles, declaring to the world those causes for a new and revolutionary moment in human history!

Dustin Gish
Faculty, The Honors College

Not Just Any Old Port in a Storm
Since the 17th Century Portugal has been known for its delicious, and potent, fortified wine. This table will be an exploration of the role of Port in history, economics, literature, and the culinary arts. It will include all kinds of Port ranging from the traditional Ruby, to the new Rose ports, and some detours to the Americas to see its attempt to best the Europeans in the art of fortified wine.

Rob Glass
Director, Honors Debate Program, The Honors College

What’s Your Playlist? A Soundtrack for the 21st Century
All of us have songs that we closely associate with memorable events in our lives. Those soundtracks are often linked to the first kiss, the senior prom, driving the car for the first time without a parent, summer fun at the beach… the list is long.  Although the 21st century is just at its quarter mark, numerous life-changing events have occurred in that short time period, the consequences of which we continue to experience and try to make sense of.  Our table conversation will be comprised of both enthusiastic discussion and group endeavor:  to create a soundtrack of songs that we feel best reflects the most notable events of the past 25 years. Although singing on pitch will not be a requirement, “Name that Tune” just might pop up!

Irene Guenther
Associate Research Professor, historian, and award-winning author

Let's GalápaGO! Our Fascination with the Uniqueness of the Galápagos Islands
At least since Charles Darwin visited these Ecuadoran islands in 1835, we’ve been fascinated by their unique ecosystems and rich biodiversity. Our conversation will explore why the Galápagos attract us and how our tourism is influencing this unique archipelago. Bring your questions about the history, local culture, and biology of one of the most famous habitats on the planet, including what UH students have been learning there from research on sea turtles and marine iguanas to petrels and sea lions, and even microplastics.  

Marc Hanke
Faculty, The Honors College

Houston Hassles: I Love this City, But…
Houston is a great place to live! But for the last 44 years, the Kinder Institute for Urban Research has started its Houston Area Survey with the same question -- what is the biggest problem facing Houston? Is it traffic, crime, or the economy? Maybe immigration, public health, or flooding? Their answers might surprise you. But most importantly, we want to know what YOU think! Here's your chance to make your voice heard.

Debbie Harwell
Faculty, The Honors College and Managing Editor of the Houston History magazine, UH Center for Public History

The Original Melting Pot: Was Indian Food Always Spicy?
What is your immediate reaction when someone mentions Indian Food?  Curry … Spicy … 
India is the original melting pot and has seen the influence of many different cultures over the last four thousand years – let us talk about how that has influenced the food and how it got to be spicy!!

Ramanan Krishnamoorti
Vice President for Energy and Innovation, UH

The Power of Conversation: Learning to Disagree
Differences of opinion are everywhere, from Ken Burn’s most recent documentary – who gets to tell our origin story – to Scottie Schleffler’s comments on family. How do we disagree in ways that maintain civility and respect and provide space for dynamic growth and understanding? Bring your own examples for a lively discussion of meeting folks in the middle long enough to hear and understand their points of view.

Anu Lal
VP Sale & Marketing, Piping Technology & Products

Shirish Lal
Co-Founder & COO, Grit Financial

Stress Tests: Engineering for Resilience in H-Town
Houston faces an alphabet soup of resilience challenges: aging infrastructure, blackouts, chemical accidents, derechos, extreme heat, flash flooding, growth, and hurricanes. This convergence of pressures makes our city a living laboratory for resilience. But what does resilience really mean; and who decides how much and where we invest in preparedness versus repair?

This table’s conversationalist leads an annual Learning Abroad course in The Netherlands, a global leader in engineering for resilience. In our conversation, we will hear your personal stories of confronting Houston’s challenges, build a shared definition of resilience, explore lessons from other geographies, and envision a future-ready Houston.

Alex Landon
Director, Cullen Honors Program

I Could Have Done That: What Makes Art Good or Good Art?
A conversation about how we encounter art – what is it? Why is some art in museums and some art on overpasses and garbage cans? What makes art contemporary or classical? Impressionist or surreal? How is our determination of good art both subjective and objective, and how do aesthetics fundamentally transform us?  We encounter aesthetic transfiguration every day, in language, fashion, film, and literature, from Boccacio to Beauty and the Beast. In what ways does beauty, like horror, startle and upset us, inspire and transform us?

Janet Lawler
Faculty and Assistant Director, Office of Community Engagement, The Honors College

Lone Star Travel Treasures
Coastal beaches, music in Austin, the Hill Country, West Texas state parks, perhaps a special ranch or farm, the art scene in Ft. Worth.  What are your favorite Texas travel destinations? Share yours and discover new ones.

Alison Leland
Director of the Prelaw Program, The Honors College

What's Your Story? Celebrating the Art of Oral History
Each person would be asked to come with a story about their life or their family that they would like to see passed down, or has been passed down through generations.

Christine LeVeaux-Haley
Faculty, The Honors College

From “Wolf” to “Woof”: The Origin of Dogs
According to a long-standing myth, dogs came into existence when humans adopted wolf pups and raised them in captivity, and over many years these animals were gradually converted into dogs as we know them today. In reality, this is extremely unlikely. Clues to a more likely scenario come from a 1950s Soviet project in Siberia where Dmitri K. Belyaev, a Russian scientist, was given the task by the state to improve the efficiency of Soviet fox farms in producing pelts for fur clothing. Armed with Balyaev’s results, today’s scientists believe that dogs came into being about 14,000 years ago, but opposed to typical evolution, these changes occurred over a very short period of time.
 
Over the last 150 years man has intervened in dog breeding much more directly. There are now over 400 recognized breeds with more variation in size, color, structure, and shape than any other mammal in the world, but all come from the same source 14,000 years ago, grey wolves that ventured close enough to sample the garbage of humans.

Stuart Long
Associate Dean, The Honors College

First Sips: A Toast to the Moments When We Became a Lover of Wine
Wine is more than a beverage; it's a story. Table guests will be invited to share the personal journeys that led them to appreciate wine. We will explore the pivotal moments—be it a family tradition, a memorable trip, or a curious first taste—that shaped our palates and preferences. We'll uncork the memories behind our favorite vintages, varietals, and regions, celebrating the unique paths to become a wine enthusiast.

Wayne Luckett
President & CEO, Branwar Wine Distributing Co.

The Edge of Bioethics—The Meaning of Life
Do scientists, doctors, lawyers, judges, philosophers, theologians, politicians, individuals, or families get to define the meaning of life, or is it the domain of institutional religions and traditions? In hospitals conflicts between religion and science are routinely resolved as families and doctors consider individual patients. But at the global level science and the religions vie with political power for the right to define life for everyone through the means of policies, laws and funding. Is there a principle or class of values we can identify that might lead to better resolution of disagreements about those means? Since we all use visions or understandings of life in our day-to-day existence, we will treat ourselves as a microcosm of the global macrocosm to explore how such disagreements might get resolved. These questions and methods were the subject of the Honors College’s study abroad program in Rome, and our conversation will give you a taste of what our students grapple with.

John Lunstroth
Faculty, The Honors College

Ben Rayder
Assistant Dean, The Honors College

No Longer Three Yards and A Cloud of Dust: The Changing Landscape of College Athletics
College athletics is undergoing a period of transformational change. Conference realignment, NIL, the transfer portal, revenue sharing, and many less obvious shifts affect how student-athletes, coaches, fans, and university administrators experience modern collegiate sports. Explore these changes with the leader charged with navigating UH through this evolving landscape. 

Eddie Nuñez
Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, UH

Play On: Shakespeare from Page to Stage
Join us for a lively discussion of how the bard’s words come alive for an audience. Which plays? Who acts? How to project the eloquence and humor of the words?

Sharon Ott
Director, School of Theatre & Dance, UH and Executive Director, Houston Shakespeare Festival 

Jack Young
Professor of Acting, UH and Artistic Director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival

No License Required: The Ambiguities of Parenthood
It is often said parenting is “the most difficult and important job in the world.” At our table, we dig beneath the surface of the cliché to grapple with a question all parents, in various ways and often daily, ask themselves: “Am I doing this right?” This conundrum lies at the heart of parenthood. There are simply too many variables – the individual agency of children and chief among them – for parents to know they’re doing it right yet do it they must. Parenthood promises frustration, confusion, and fear. but also snuggles, happiness, and heart-brimming reward. This table is not about parenting advice - not directly, anyway. Rather, we will share anecdotes (fond memories as children, challenges overcome as parents, etc.) to see what general principles of savvy parenting are to be found within. A table for parents of children and children of parents – biological or otherwise, from all cultural and familial arrangements – alike.

Max Rayneard
Faculty, The Honors College

Overtime: Why is Workplace Television So Popular?
You'd think after (another) hard day's work and (another) long commute home, we'd be eager to leave thoughts of work life behind – yet the continued popularity of workplace-centric TV shows like The Office, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Mad Men, and Grey's Anatomy (to name a few) clearly proves otherwise.  At this table, participants will be encouraged to point to their own favorite shows as we explore how being entertained by – and obsessing over? -- the trials and tribulations of made-up characters in fictionalized work environments might in truth be helping us make sense of the ups and downs (and comedy, and drama) of our own professional lives.

Aaron Reynolds
Academic Advisor, The Honors College

Robert Liddell
Faculty, The Honors College

Madness, Mayhem, and Mastermind:  The Long Game of Taylor Swift
At this table, we will discuss the multifaceted nature of Taylor Swift's career, her meticulous planning and strategic decisions, and the emotionally charged experiences surrounding her work.  We will review the marketing, the music, and of course, the masters.  As an artist who orchestrates a carefully constructed narrative, we’ll discuss how the excitement and sometimes chaotic energy of her fans are a testament to her long-term vision and influence on popular culture.

Brenda Rhoden
Assistant Dean, The Honors College

The Influence of Shape: Hiding in Plain Sight
Shape itself shapes our thinking. Ever wonder how our city's layout or the shape of your dining room table shapes our associations and conversations? Even history is a series of shapes, from fireside circles to linear pyramids to today's networks. Let's talk about how shapes shape us. 

Lois Stark
Emmy Award-winning producer, documentary filmmaker, and author

Not Our First Rodeo: Texans Face the Future
Discuss the great changes coming to the Texas business world and growth of the economy and international business outlook for Texas.  Look at new changes that are bringing about an economic revolution in the way Texans can bank, invest, and work. The evolution of Texas markets and the investments in data, AI and military research. See the changes that bring medical innovation and research as Texas replaces Chicago and New York in becoming the world's largest medical complex.

Adam Suhr
Senior Vice President of Frost Bank

Here, There, and Everywhere: Sustainable Development in Houston, the Dominican Republic, and Beyond 
The table's conversationalist regularly takes honors student on Learning Abroad trips to the Dominican Republic. Most of table's guests know something about Houston and have traveled across the nation and world. What lessons can those travels offer us as we discuss the economic, environmental, social, and cultural dimensions of sustainability. Bring your stories.

Jonathan Williamson
Associate Dean, The Honors College