Ruth Pauley Speakers

04/24/2026

Get ready for a night that’s as fun as it is fascinating. Dr. Zanno is bringing the energy, and this little preview is just a glimpse of what’s in store. See you Tuesday for a presentation you won’t want to miss. We’re excited and counting down the days.

04/16/2026

We’re looking forward to an unforgettable evening with Dr. Lindsay Zanno, PhD, as National Geographic Live brings Rise of T. Rex to BPAC.

On Tuesday, April 28, 2026, audiences will journey into the science, discovery, and fieldwork behind one of history’s most iconic predators. It’s a powerful look at exploration in action, told by a leading voice in paleontology.

04/08/2026

Big discoveries. Right here at home.

In a recent feature from PineStraw Magazine, Dr. Lindsay Zanno shares her journey from uncovering fossils in the field to becoming one of the leading voices in paleontology. It is a fascinating look at the science, persistence, and curiosity behind the story of T. rex and its ancestors.

Now, that story is coming to the stage.

Dr. Zanno will join us as part of the Ruth Pauley Speakers series on Tuesday, April 28, at 7 pm in Owens Auditorium at Bradshaw Performing Arts Center. This free event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from a scientist shaping how we understand life on Earth millions of years ago, complete with stunning visuals and a live Q&A.

Read the article at loom.ly/VwOcZLk, then experience it in person. Tickets are free but required at TicketMeSandhills.

FROM FOSSIL TO FAME Home From Fossil to Fame A dino-sized discovery By Hampton Williams Hofer Step into the SECU DinoLab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, and you may find yourself shoulder-to-shoulder with a paleontologist dusting off a specimen or examining a slide with....

04/06/2026

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗮𝘂𝗿𝘀.

Join us Tuesday, April 28, 2026 for National Geographic Live: “𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗧. 𝗥𝗲𝘅” with Dr. Lindsay Zanno.

A leading paleontologist and Head of Paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Dr. Zanno brings audiences into the field as she searches the badlands of western North America for clues to one of history’s most iconic predators. Through her discoveries, including some of the earliest ancestors of T. Rex, she reveals how a global climate shift during the Cretaceous shaped the evolution of this prehistoric giant.

This immersive evening features stunning visuals and a live Q&A.

Free event. Tickets required at TicketMeSandhills.com.

03/09/2026

Learn more in The Pilot Newspaper about the upcoming Ruth Pauley Speakers presentation featuring Wendy Young, President of KIND (Kids In Need of Defense).

Join us Tuesday, March 24 as she shares insights on The Rights, Legal Issues, and Safety Concerns of Unaccompanied Migrant Children.

Read more in The Pilot and get your ticket: loom.ly/LspnNkU

03/06/2026

Immigration sits at the center of some of today’s most complex global conversations.

Join us 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟮𝟰 for an insightful evening with 𝗪𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴, President of Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), as she explores the rights, legal challenges, and safety concerns facing unaccompanied migrant children.

With decades of experience shaping immigration policy and advocating for vulnerable youth worldwide, Young brings a powerful perspective on one of the most urgent humanitarian issues of our time.

This timely conversation offers insight, context, and a deeper understanding of the policies and people behind the headlines.

📅 Tuesday, March 24, 2026 • 7 PM
🎤 Wendy Young, President of KIND
📍 Owens Auditorium at BPAC
🎟️ Admission is free - Tickets Required.
Get yours at loom.ly/wydFeA4

FREE ADMISSION – TICKETS REQUIRED Tickets are now required for all Ruth Pauley Speakers events. Please do not take tickets you are not going to use. Wendy Young, President KIND (Kids In Need of Defense) The Rights, Legal Issues, and Safety Concerns of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Ms. Young has l...

12/03/2025

Dr. Diego Bohórquez, Ph.D.: The Gut-Brain Connection and Neuropods, tickets are now available! To learn more and get tickets, please visit loom.ly/MJ6iuBk.

10/15/2025

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆?

Join us for an eye-opening evening with Lt. Gen. John “Jack” Shanahan, USAF (Ret.), the first Director of the U.S. Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC), as he explores “Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Revolution: The Implications for National Security.”

📅 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟭, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱
🕖 𝟳:𝟬𝟬 𝗣𝗠
📍 𝗢𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗣𝗔𝗖
🎟️ 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘 𝗔𝗗𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 – 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗗
Reserve yours at ticketmesandhills.com.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲: "Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan on AI, the Pentagon & Why It Matters Here" at loom.ly/HutuPYM.

Lt. Gen. John “Jack” Shanahan does not talk about artificial intelligence like a science fiction prophet. He talks like a software reformer who had to get something working by the end of the year. “The reality is far less cinematic and far more useful,” Shanahan said in an interview ahead of...

10/06/2025

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, October 21, 2025, as the Ruth Pauley Speakers continues its season with an extraordinary guest: Lt. Gen. John “Jack” Shanahan, USAF (Ret.), presenting “Artificial Intelligence and the Digital Revolution: The Implications for National Security.”

A 36-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, General Shanahan was the inaugural Director of the Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center and the first to lead Project Maven, the DoD’s pioneering AI fielding program. His experience sits at the intersection of technology, intelligence, and defense—offering a rare insider’s view of how AI is reshaping global security and strategic decision-making.

📍 Owens Auditorium, Bradshaw Performing Arts Center
🗓 Tuesday, October 21 | 7 p.m.
🎟 Free, but tickets are required.
Reserve yours today at loom.ly/jz-l3ec.

FREE ADMISSION – TICKETS REQUIRED Tickets are now required for all Ruth Pauley Speakers events. RPS events often "sell out." Please do not take any tickets that you do not intend to use. Lt. Gen. John “Jack” Shanahan, USAF, Retired Lieutenant General Shanahan retired in 2020 after a 36-year mi...

10/02/2025

In Memory of Dr. Jane Goodall

Yesterday, the world lost a pioneer whose vision reshaped how we understand and respect the natural world.

In 1997, the Ruth Pauley Speakers welcomed Dr. Jane Goodall to the Sandhills. Our community stood arm’s length from the woman who dared to get up close with the chimpanzees of Tanzania and, in doing so, forever changed the course of primatology and animal advocacy.

That evening, she spoke of the ethical concerns raised when we recognize the true nature of nonhuman animals: their complex brains, their social bonds, and their capacity to suffer. Her words echoed her lifelong message—that our responsibility is to treat all living beings with dignity and compassion.

Her legacy will continue to inspire generations to listen, to learn, and to protect the world we share.