Aug. 3, 2009 — Before the University of Virginia's football team takes the field for a home game at Scott Stadium this fall, some of U.Va.'s top minds will take the stage at Alumni Hall for a "More Than the Score" pre-game talk.

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

This year's topics include the story of Thomas Jefferson's design of the Academical Village, renewable energy, the outlook for upcoming elections, swine flu and global health, America's "savings crisis," and human sexuality. A Halloween Day talk will dissect the stories of Frankenstein and Dracula.

The U.Va. Office of Engagement's Alumni Education program partners with the U.Va. Alumni Association to offer the "More Than the Score" series.

This year's schedule:

Sept. 5: Designing Thomas Jefferson's Academical Village. Speakers: Richard Guy Wilson, Commonwealth Professor of Architectural History; Andrea Douglas, curator, U.Va. Art Museum.

Jefferson's architectural design for the University, its inspiration and the process by which Jefferson constructed his iconic Academical Village are the subject of this talk and of a special exhibit this fall at U.Va.'s Harrison-Small Special Collections Library. Wilson will show examples of Jefferson's original drawings and how he assembled support to create the University. Later expansions to the University's Grounds will also be highlighted. Douglas will discuss the related special exhibition.

Sept. 12: Beyond Oil, Coal and Natural Gas: Opportunities and Challenges for Renewable Fuels and Chemicals. Speaker: Robert Davis, Earnest Jackson Oglesby Professor and Chairman of Chemical Engineering

The finite availability of fossil fuels has prompted a hunt for alternative resources to power us into the future. Davis will discuss some of the current ideas and challenges related to the use of renewable biomass as a replacement for oil, coal and natural gas, and attempt to shed light on how we can transition from the fossil fuel era.

Oct. 10 (Homecomings): Sabato's Crystal Ball. Speaker: Larry Sabato, director of U.Va.'s Center for Politics and Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics

Sabato will discuss the 2009 gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey and their potential impact on both local and national politics, and upon the crucial 2010 mid-term elections. Last fall, Sabato's nationally watched Crystal Ball Web site correctly predicted the outcomes of 95 percent of the 2008 Senate and House races, and came within one electoral vote of the final tally in the presidential contest. Five months after the votes were counted, he published a comprehensive look at the 2008 election in his most recent book, "The Year of Obama."

Oct. 24: U.Va.'s Commitment to Global Health: A Declaration of Interdependence.
Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Dillingham, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases

As the global spread of swine flu recently demonstrated, humans' shared microbiology transcends geographic, cultural, religious and economic barriers. Infectious diseases underline our common humanity, said Dillingham, an expert in tropical infectious diseases and a leader in U.Va.'s pioneering trans-university Center for Global Health. She will argue that humans' very survival depends upon learning that "how you do will determine how I do." Humanity's destiny may well be determined by a recognition and declaration of our interdependence. Health is one of our most universal and unassailable human values. As such, health can be a shared goal around which to build consensus across national borders and throughout the world.

Oct. 31: Frankenstein and Dracula: Separated at Birth – and Not Dead Yet. Speakers: Susan Tyler Hitchcock, former U.Va. faculty member and author; Stephen Arata, Mayo Distinguished Teaching Professor of English

Who are these monsters and why do we love to fear them? On Halloween, Arata and Hitchcock team up to tell Frankenstein and Dracula's long, strange and intertwined life stories.

Nov. 14: Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do About It. Speaker: Ron Wilcox, Professor of Business Administration

It is no secret that Americans save very little, but why? What can be done about it? Wilcox, a professor at U.Va.'s Darden School of Business, will describe how the "savings crisis" adversely influences personal lifestyles over the long term, and how it can undermine our national wealth and standard of living. Wilcox will highlight practical strategies to spend less and save more, and he will explain how reinventing thrift can make America a more prosperous nation.

Nov. 28: Sex Matters. Speaker: Dr. Anita Clayton, David C. Wilson Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences; Medical Director, Center for Psychiatric Clinical Research

Do you share the common belief that everyone else has better and more sex than you? Clayton will lead a candid discussion about the similarities and differences between women and men in how they embrace their personal sexuality, including expectations and self-image. She will examine communication differences, acceptance of others' prohibitions, and setting priorities so each individual can find and get what they want.