The 42nd annual Presidential Lecture, titled “Understanding Our Multiple Voices in 21st Century Communication,” will explore how an individual’s voice can be used as a powerful communication tool. The lecture will take place at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, in the International Ballroom at the Iowa Memorial Union.
Weiguo (Patrick) Fan, Henry B. Tippie Excellence Chair in Business Analytics and professor in the Tippie College of Business and faculty director of the Tippie Analytics Cooperative, and Eric J. Hunter, department executive officer and professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Harriet B. and Harold S. Brady Chair in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, are this year’s lecturers.
Weiguo Fan
How does the topic of the lecture relate to your field?
The topic of the lecture is about understanding consumer voices from the natural language processing perspective. I will talk about different types of voices in written communication, why it matters to understand these voices, and share with the audience some of my major projects along this line of research.
Consumer voices are a very rich resource for businesses and organizations to tap into. Some technologies are already in place to help firms understand these voices and uncover value from them. There are still plenty of opportunities to do more research and innovations with such rich resources.
What does it mean to have been chosen to deliver the Presidential Lecture?
It is truly an honor to be chosen for this lecture. It is a recognition of the importance and impact of my research. It also serves a motivation for me to continue my excellence in research and have an impact on society.
What drew you to the University of Iowa and Iowa City?
The University of Iowa has a great health care system. The potential opportunity for me to collaborate with UI Health Care on cutting edge health care analytic research is huge for me.
Iowa City is a great college town. It has a lot of things to offer and is a great place to raise a family. I also love Big Ten football. I graduated from the University of Michigan in 2002, and I always wanted to come back to the Big Ten to have firsthand experience watching college football. So far, it has been very good.
Additionally, I am a nature photographer and love bald eagles, hawks, and owls. Iowa City is the best town in the Midwest for eagle photography, in my opinion.
What do you love about Iowa that keeps you here?
Iowa City is a great town with great health care and great people, and I love the Tippie College of Business. We have a very collegial department and college with great leadership both within the department and the college. I enjoy collaborating with colleagues within the college and across the campus. I feel joy and a sense of belonging here, and my research is being recognized.
Eric J. Hunter
How does the topic of the lecture relate to your field?
Voice is a powerful and dynamic tool, shaping human communication, identity, and expression. Iowa has been at the forefront of voice science, pioneering many of the field’s foundational advancements through multidisciplinary collaborations. This lecture explores the intricate relationships between voice function and the tools used to study it, with a focus on occupational voice challenges faced by teachers. Due to prolonged speaking in varied conditions, teachers experience a high incidence of voice problems, making them a key population for vocal health research.
I will emphasize the importance of voice in our lives, vocal health, the influence of environmental factors on speech, and the clinical aspects of voice disorders. I will also discuss some of my fascinations in tools and technology that make the work fun. The conclusion will have several hints and tips for keeping the voice healthy, as well as put this in context of the legacy of the work in speaking and hearing wrapped up in my home program.
What does it mean to have been chosen to deliver the Presidential Lecture?
Being chosen to deliver the Presidential Lecture is an incredible honor. As a proud graduate of the University of Iowa, I recognize how profoundly this institution has shaped my career and perspective. The values I developed here — intellectual curiosity, collaboration, and a commitment to service — have remained central to my work.
This invitation is not just a personal milestone; it is an opportunity to highlight the collective impact of the faculty, mentors, colleagues, and students — past and present — in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Their dedication and expertise have made our program the nationally recognized leader it is today, and I am grateful to represent them in this moment.
What drew you to the University of Iowa and Iowa City?
The combination of innovation, practicality, and a strong sense of community in Iowa was alluring. The state of Iowa is known for its pioneering spirit and practical approach to life, which is reflected in the university. The university promotes collaboration and practical problem-solving. The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders has a history of significant contributions due to the collective efforts of dedicated individuals — that history is still strong today.
Beyond the university itself, Iowa City is a special place. It has a way of drawing people back — myself included. I’ve met so many colleagues who, like me, came here for training, left to gain experience elsewhere, and ultimately found their way back. That’s the kind of place Iowa City is. It’s a “big little city” — walk through downtown, and it feels vibrant and full of energy, yet within minutes, you can be surrounded by the farmland that sustains us. There’s something special about that balance, and I’m grateful to be part of it.
What do you love about Iowa that keeps you here?
I’ve lived in three different states in the intermountain West, two in the Midwest, and even another country — and there’s something special about Iowa. It consistently punches above its weight class in all the best ways. It’s a place that values both practicality and compassion, and that’s something I’m proud to be part of.
What truly keeps me here, though, is the people. I have benefited tremendously from the knowledge, expertise, and generosity of my colleagues — both within my department and across campus. Their insights and collaboration have shaped my research, helped me grow, and allowed us to make meaningful advancements in the field of communicative sciences, generally, and voice health, specifically. The University of Iowa fosters an environment where people support each other, where leadership — both in the college and at the university level — actively encourages innovation and progress.
About the Presidential Lecture Series
The Presidential Lecture Series provides an opportunity for distinguished faculty members to present significant aspects of their work to the greater university community and general public. The university established the annual series to encourage intellectual communication among the many disciplines that constitute the UI, as well as to provide a public forum for scholarship, research, and creative achievement. The series is made possible by the generosity of donors of unrestricted gifts to the UI Center for Advancement.
____________________________________________________________________________________