The Faculty Lecture Series draws from the knowledge and expertise of full-time faculty members within the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences. The series explores the faculty's diverse areas of interest in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and physical sciences. In addition to mentoring students in independent research projects, guiding travel-study experiences, and participating in the development of their fields through publications and involvement in their disciplines' global communities—faculty members support the college mission by sharing their experiences with students through these insightful campus lectures that convey their passion for education and research. Each presentation explores a different topic related to the college's current academic theme. These events are free and open to the public.

The 2014-2015 Academic Theme is “Identity.” The term "identity" refers to how we define ourselves as individuals, communities, and humanity as a whole. This theme has particular relevance to students, who are actively aligning themselves with disciplines and groups, and making commitments to personal philosophies. The exploration of identity is about differences and distinctions as well as shared qualities and goals. The academic year ahead will include examinations of "what makes us who we are" — from the smallest (genetic) to the largest (global) ways of thinking.