Great Plains Olson talks move online in new formats

“Great Plains Anywhere” takes the Center for Great Plains Studies’ popular, interdisciplinary Paul A. Olson Great Plains lecture series and recreates it for 2020. Instead of hosting in-person lectures, the center is producing short videos and podcasts with a range of Great Plains experts. Episodes will be released throughout the fall and spring semesters.

The series title, “Great Plains Anywhere,” refers to the increased mobility and audience for these talks, said Katie Nieland, assistant director.

“The episodes are released as both podcasts and videos, and you don’t have to tune in at a specific time,” she said. “This is a very flexible way people can learn more about topics of importance to the Great Plains.”

Already published episodes include interviews with new center director Margaret Jacobs and Robber’s Cave historian Joel Green and a presentation by Husker professor emeritus and weather expert Ken Dewey. Upcoming episodes cover environmental art, meatpacking plants and COVID-19, bees on the Great Plains and more. The lectures can be found here. The podcasts are available on Anchor, Spotify, Google podcasts, Breaker and Radio Public.

“The pandemic might be keeping us from having our Olson seminars in person, but it’s opened up opportunities for the center to reach new audiences across the Great Plains,” Jacobs said. “And hopefully our new ‘Great Plains Anywhere’ series will help us all weather the year ahead.”

The center plans to return to in-person lectures when COVID-19 levels make it safe to do so. This new series will continue even when in-person lectures resume.

The Center for Great Plains Studies is an interdisciplinary outreach and research center at the University of Nebraska. Learn more.