August 30, 2011 — Before the University of Virginia's football team takes the field for home games at Scott Stadium this fall, some of U.Va.'s all-star professors will take the stage at Alumni Hall for "More Than the Score" pre-game talks.

The talks, now in their sixth season, begin at 10 a.m. on home football Saturdays. They are free and open to all, but seating is limited, so registration is strongly encouraged. Register online here.

Listen to the UVA Today Radio Show report on this story by Brevy Cannon:



The talks cover a mix of current events and timeless big questions, like how to age gracefully, how a university changes and stays the same over decades, and how technology – in this case digital media – is impacting society. Faculty will also address some of the biggest stories from the year's headlines, including the Arab Spring, the consequences of health care reform and reflections on the Civil War during its 150th anniversary.

In what has become a "More than the Score" tradition, politics professor Larry Sabato will give the talk ahead of the Homecomings game on Oct. 15. He will share his "Crystal Ball" predictions for the 2012 presidential election and his upcoming book project on the legacy of the Kennedy administration.

The talks will be available as podcasts on U.Va.'s iTunesU page by the Tuesday after they are given. 

The "More Than the Score" series is produced through a partnership of the U.Va. Office of Engagement's Alumni Education program and the U.Va. Alumni Association.

This year's schedule:

• Sept. 3: Our University: Things That Change and Things That Stay the Same
Speaker: Kenneth Elzinga, Robert C. Taylor Professor of Economics

After more than 40 years on the faculty at Mr. Jefferson's University and having taught some 40,000 students, Elzinga will reflect on changes he has observed during his career at U.Va.

• Sept. 24: Will an Arab Fall Follow the Arab Spring?
Speakers: Nathaniel Howell, former U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait and John Minor Maury Jr. Professor of Public Affairs; Frederick Hitz, former inspector general of the Central Intelligence Agency and professor at the School of Law; John Norton Moore, law professor, director of the Center for National Security Law and director of the Center for Oceans Law and Policy.

The "Arab Spring" of 2011 threatened stability and excited hopes throughout the Middle East, toppling authoritarian regimes in Tunisia and Egypt and threatening governments elsewhere. Will this spontaneous movement unleash the creative potential of Arab populations and spawn more participatory governments and more dynamic societies? What are the implications for political Islam? Will fundamentalist elements be empowered or marginalized as a result? What do these developments mean for the United States?

• Oct. 1: The American Civil War on Film: How Hollywood Shapes What We Know
Speaker: Gary Gallagher, Cavaliers Distinguished Teaching Professor and Nau Professor of History

Many Americans base their perceptions about our history more on what they see in movies and on television than on what they read. Gallagher will explore how films like "Gone with the Wind," "Glory" and "Cold Mountain" have presented – and distorted – the history of the Civil War.

• Oct. 15 (Homecomings): Crystal Ball Prediction and Kennedy Project
Speaker: Larry Sabato, Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics and director, Center for Politics

Sabato will bring his political prowess and knowledge to discuss the upcoming 2012 presidential election and its potential impact on both local and national politics. He will also discuss his upcoming book project on the legacy of the Kennedy administration.

• Oct. 22: The 'Art' of Aging
Speakers: Dennis Proffitt, Commonwealth Professor of Psychology and chair, Department of Psychology; Deborah Roach, associate professor of biology.

Can art influence aging? Roach will discuss the biological process of aging, and Proffitt will share a recent course he taught, "Art & Aging," in which groups of undergraduates were paired with elderly couples to create interactive experiences with art and nature. Roach and Proffitt will explore means of coping with the aging process and how we can continue to enjoy life and flourish.

• Nov. 12: Will Health Care Reform Change the Way Nurses and Physicians Work Together?
Speaker: Dorrie Fontaine, dean of the School of Nursing

Health care reform will offer new opportunities for all members of the health care workforce to better meet patient and family needs. Fontaine will discuss how recent trends suggest a growing role for nurse practitioners. How will this increase the nation's ability to provide health care to more citizens in the coming decades? Will this change the way nurses and physicians work together? What can we all expect from team-based collaborative care and the promise of improved outcomes?

• Nov. 26: There is No Such Thing as a 'Digital Generation': How Facebook, Twitter and Google Affect Us All
Speaker: Siva Vaidhyanathan, Robertson Professor of Media Studies and author of "The Googlization of Everything: (And Why We Should Worry)."

We often hear and read fretful laments about "kids today" and their "digital generation." They don't care about privacy. They multitask too much. But studies of young people and of digital media users in general fail to bear out those distinctions. It's not that there is nothing to fear from the proliferation of digital devices and platforms. It's that the challenges are not for youth alone, Vaidhyanathan argues; when it comes to digital media, we are all children. He will explore some of the facts, destroy some of the myths and suggest some paths forward that society can take to make the future wiser and smarter, not just busier.