Nordic Spirit Symposium
Iceland: Land of Fire, Ice and Vikings
A millennium-old Viking settlement, clean geothermal energy, the world’s oldest continuous parliamentary government, and past and present volcanic eruptions are a few of the things that make Iceland a fascinating country. Learn more about the land of fire, ice and Vikings at this scholarly program geared for the general public.
Friday, Feb. 6, 5:30 p.m.
Scandinavian Center, 26 Faculty St.
Reception
Reservations requested. Admission is $10.
Friday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m.
Samuelson Chapel
Evening lectures
Admission is $20. Free for students and Cal Lutheran faculty and staff.
"The Ins and Outs of Icelandic History: From Viking Settlement to Recent Times"
Elisabeth I. Ward, Ph.D., Director, Scandinavian Center, Pacific Lutheran University
Surveying a swath of Icelandic history from the Viking settlement in the late ninth century to the hardships of the 17th and 18th centuries, Professor Ward tracks political, cultural and especially literary developments in the wider Scandinavian and European arenas. Speaking as the daughter of an American soldier and an Icelandic woman, she will also discuss the role of the United States and NATO in post-World War II Iceland.
"Living on Tectonic Plate Boundaries in Iceland and California: Coping with Earthquakes and Volcanic Disasters"
Egill Hauksson, Ph.D., Research Professor of Geophysics, California Institute of Technology, Division of Geological and Planetary Science, Seismological Laboratory, Pasadena, California
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Iceland and California can have consequences on continental scales. The more we learn about the systems that produced the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption, the better we understand their long-term behavior. Although forecasting individual catastrophes is even more complex than previously thought, automated early warnings on short time scales of seconds and tens of seconds can protect lives and property.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.
Samuelson Chapel
Lectures and presentations
Admission is $40, free for students and Cal Lutheran faculty and staff.
"Viking Archaeology in Saga Iceland: The Mosfell Archaeological Project"
Jesse Byock, Ph.D., Professor, Scandinavian Section and Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California Los Angeles
Using the tools of history, archaeology, anthropology, forensics, environmental sciences and saga studies, the Mosfell Archaeological Project constructs a picture of human habitation and environmental change in southwestern Iceland’s Mosfell Valley beginning with the ninth-century landnám settlement period. The interdisciplinary project has implications for studies of the Viking Age, later medieval Iceland and, perhaps, the North Atlantic world.
"Fire and Ice: The Impact of Volcanic Eruptions in Iceland"
Haraldur Sigurdsson, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island
Iceland has seen some of the world’s largest volcanic eruptions, often accompanied by melting of ice caps over volcanoes and consequent massive flooding. Icelanders have adapted and even turned their environment to advantage with geothermal energy. But eruptions remain a great hazard. In the 18th century, a single event killed a quarter of the population and three-quarters of the livestock. Today, the largest eruption in 230 years is not yet over. It is teaching us not to ignore history when thinking of the future.
"Viking and Homeric Values – Intriguing Parallels: The Case of Iceland"
Apostolos Athanassakis, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Classics Department, University of California Santa Barbara
When placed next to Homer’s epics, both the Poetic Edda and the Sagas offer examples of astonishing similarities between the Homeric and Icelandic worlds. The similarities are to be found in religious hierarchies as well as social institutions. Attention to them yields knowledge and invites further research.
"Iceland: A Leader in Human Genomics Research"
Eirikur Steingrimsson, Ph.D., Professor, University of Iceland Biomedical Center
With a population of just 320,000, Iceland has become a leader in human genomics research. Professor Steingrimsson discusses what made this achievement possible and how it may impact health care.
Music by The Evening Guests
The Evening Guests is an indie folk band formed in Los Angeles in 2012 by Icelandic singer-songwriter Jokull Jonsson and drummer Tom Mcrae.
"Iceland and Energy – Global or Local?"
Ásgeir Margeirsson, Ph.D., CEO, HS Orka
Iceland is the world´s largest producer of electricity per capita and has the world’s lowest per capita emissions from energy production. It accomplishes this with a unique energy mix, including geothermal hot water that provides 90 percent of heating to buildings. As CEO of Iceland’s largest privately owned energy company, Margeirsson will discuss the impact of clean energy on Iceland’s public health, food production and quality of life.
Saturday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m.
Lundring Events Center
Dinner and Entertainment
Reservations required. Admission is $35.
Find out why Icelandic singer-songwriter Anna Mjöll is creating a buzz in Los Angeles.
The Nordic Spirit Symposium is sponsored by the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation and Cal Lutheran, and is made possible by generous grants from the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation and the Norway House Foundation in San Francisco. For information and early registration fees, call Howard Rockstad at 805-497-3717.
Sponsored By
Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation and California Lutheran UniversityContact
Howard Rockstad
805-497-3717