Lair of the Bear Guest Speakers 2026
We’re excited to introduce our lineup of guest speakers for summer 2026!
Each summer at the Lair, campers are invited to engaging talks hosted at the Blue and Gold stages on Sunday and Tuesday evenings. Our guest speakers represent a wide array of perspectives, offering insights on topics ranging from Cal Athletics and integrative biology to the history of tourism and technology, learning, and justice.
Keep reading to discover the inspiring speakers joining your session this summer—or plan your Lair stay to align with the sessions that pique your interest most!
Week 2: June 13 - 20
Week 3: June 20 - 27
Thomas M. Philip, Professor of Education, UC Berkeley
Thomas M. Philip, Professor of Education at UC Berkeley, will speak on “Technology, Learning, and Justice.” Come think about how technology is reshaping learning and its implications for schools and society, especially issues of educational equity and racial justice.
Alex Filippenko, Astrophysicist, UC Berkeley
Exciting Results with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Alex Filippenko, voted by Cal students as the "best professor" a record 9 times, will discuss JWST. The largest telescope in space, it detects infrared (heat) radiation, providing information not available to the Hubble Space Telescope. It allows astronomers to study the birth of stars, newly formed dust in the gases ejected by dying stars, and the atmospheric composition of planets orbiting other stars. Among JWST’s most surprising results so far is the very early formation of galaxies after the Big Bang.
Week 4: June 27 - July 4
Emiliana Simon-Thomas, Science Director, Greater Good Science Center, UC Berkeley
Guest speaker Emiliana Simon-Thomas, UC Berkeley will be speaking on The Science of Happiness: How social connection, positivity, and resilience improve health and wellbeing.
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Week 5: July 4 - 11
Eric Leven, Visual Effects Supervisor at Industrial Light and Magic
Emmy-nominated VFX supervisor of Industrial Light and Magic, Eric Leven, shares behind-the- scenes insights into today’s blockbuster films and shows. Featuring Marvel, Indiana Jones, and Severance, he’ll explore the history and magic of visual effects in modern filmmaking—and answer the question: “How did they do that?” At the Stage.
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Week 6: July 11 - 18
Lok Siu, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Professor of Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Lok Siu, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley, to Club Lair for a fascinating talk titled Chifa: How Chinese Food Became a Peruvian National Treasure. Dr. Siu is the author and editor of several award-winning books and has been featured in major media outlets including CNN and The New York Times. A leading cultural anthropologist and expert on Chinese and Asian diasporas in the Americas, Dr. Siu will trace the evolution of Chinese Peruvian cuisine—from early experimentation to commercialization to its current elevation as Peruvian haute cuisine—highlighting the rich intersections of migration, culture, and culinary innovation.
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Week 7: July 18 - 25
Paul Fine, Professor of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley
Guest Speaker, Paul Fine, UC Berkeley Professor of Integrative Biology, will be speaking on Discovering New Species of Trees in South American Rainforests: The importance of describing biodiversity for the future of rainforest conservation.
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Week 8: July 25 - August 1
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Glynn Washington, Storyteller
Glynn Washington—storyteller, visionary, and a voice that has captivated audiences around the world— is the creator and host of Snap Judgment. With his signature blend of drama, authenticity, and rhythm, Glynn has redefined the way we experience storytelling, making his audience feel every twist, every revelation, and every emotion along the way. This summer at the Lair, Glynn will discuss the world of stories that matter.
Week 9: August 1 - 8
Leonard Griffin, UC Berkeley Men's Head Soccer Coach
Leonard Griffin is the head coach for California men's soccer team. With more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience, he was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023. Leonard will be joining Week 4 to talk about his background and coaching experience and all things California men's soccer.
Corey Rosen, Moth host and author
"A Story for Everything" - Have you ever noticed that the most memorable interactions and experiences you've had either involve a story or become stories unto itself? What if you looked at the world, and every experience you have, as a story waiting to happen? Join longtime Lair camper, Moth Host, and Author, Corey Rosen for an engaging, all-ages presentation where you'll learn tips and tricks for making your own stories powerful, memorable, humorous, and meaningful.
Week 10: August 8 - 15
Solomon Dobrowski, Landscape Ecology Professor, University of Montana
The Big Burn of 1910: The spark of today’s wildfire crisis. On August 20, 1910 hundreds of small fires burning between Idaho and Montana merged in hurricane force winds to become one of the largest fires in US history. Over two days, the ‘Big Burn’ would decimate 3 million acres, kill 87 people, level entire towns, and later shape US policy and approaches to managing wildfire to this day. Solomon Dobrowski will share the story of this event, how its legacy altered the character of forests across the west, and how it continues to shape our ongoing struggle with the wildfire crisis. Solomon, a Cal Forestry alum and landscape ecology professor at the University of Montana, researches climate risks to forests, wildfire, and conservation biogeography. He serves on the USGS Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center leadership team and advises Blue Forest.
Club Lair: Sports, Wine, and Recreation Retreat: June 5 - 12 & Women's Wellness Weekend: August 19 - 23
Virginia Sturm, John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation Endowed Professor at UCSF
Join Virginia Sturm as she brings us into the fascinating world of the brain, emotions, and awe. Dr. Sturm is the John Douglas French Alzheimer’s Foundation Endowed Professor at the Fein Memory and Aging Center at the University of California, San Francisco. A neuropsychologist and Director of the UCSF Clinical Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, her research explores the neural systems that support emotion and social behavior. She will share insights about emotions and the benefits that experiences of awe can have on the brain.
