The University of Montana announced on Apr. 7 that award-winning journalist and radio producer Jad Abumrad will deliver the next President’s Lecture Series talk, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 13, in the University Center Ballroom.
The event is free and open to the public, serving as both the Dean Stone Lecture and UM’s Democracy Summit Keynote Lecture. It is sponsored by the UM School of Journalism and Davidson Honors College.
Abumrad is known as a composer, artist, and journalist who created popular podcasts such as “Radiolab,” “Dolly Parton’s America,” and “Fela Kuti: Fear No Man.” His work has been downloaded over a billion times. He has received three Peabody Awards, two DuPont Awards, and was awarded a MacArthur Genius Fellowship in 2011. Abumrad currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Research at Vanderbilt University.
Recently, Abumrad collaborated with UM Journalism Professor Jule Banville to produce “The Obit Project,” an audio series featuring obituaries ranging from stories about a circus elephant to a local historian interested in ghosts. The twelve-episode series premiered April 2 through the Montana Media Lab at UM School of Journalism and releases episodes weekly on major podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Castbox and Pocket Casts. Some stories will also air on Montana Public Radio.
According to the official website, the University of Montana offers virtual and in-person tours for prospective students. The university accommodates more than 11,000 students according to its official website. It operates within higher education as a public research university emphasizing academic excellence and hands-on learning experiences according to its official website. The institution provides undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs through established admissions processes according to its official website, with options for online or distance learning available according to its official website.
This lecture brings together members of both campus community and general public while highlighting notable achievements within journalism.