Travel Talks and Events  


 

Join Kate Sanders for Travel Talks – a webcast series dedicated to the OSU Alumni Association Group Travel Program.

Topics range from travel tips to information on various destinations and more. All Travel Talks are online at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time

Feb. 27 | Travel Talks | How Will Traveling Change in Our New Political Climate? Global travel is evolving in real time. How will recent executive orders and policy changes — on tariffs, health agency reporting and foreign aid — and shifting international sentiment toward the U.S. shape the way we move across borders? Register. 

Join us for an illuminating conversation with David Bernell, associate professor of Political Science at Oregon State University, as we explore the latest developments and what they could mean for travelers and the future of global mobility. This fluid discussion will also touch on the new European visa requirements and other emerging travel trends.


March 11 | Travel Talk: Have sharks, will travel. Studying sharks around the globe with OSU's Big Fish Lab.  Register.

While sharks are often misunderstood as fearsome killers — a stereotype fueled by popular media — they are essential to marine ecosystems. As a keystone predator, they regulate species abundance and biodiversity and even help combat climate change by preying on species that overgraze carbon-sequestering underwater plants.

Through their research, Oregon State University’s Big Fish Lab is shifting the narrative, studying sharks around the world to better understand their movement and reproductive behaviors and protect their habitats. This team of researchers travels to some of the most remote locations of the world and, by focusing on shark reproduction and behavior, the BFL works to protect vulnerable birthing sites and safeguard future generations of these charismatic creatures.

This Travel Talk offers a unique lens into the interconnectedness of travel, conservation and the marine world we all love to explore. Join us as we dive into discussions about:

  • The remote and diverse locations where the BFL conducts its research, offering a behind-the-scenes look at global marine environments.
  • How non-invasive techniques and new satellite technology are revolutionizing the field of shark biology and conservation by tracking movement patterns, gestation and birthing events.
  • Why protecting sharks and their habitats is essential to preserving the ocean ecosystems and wildlife enjoyed by travelers worldwide. 

April 2 | Travel Talk: Travel to Ireland. Register.

Explore stunning Ireland in this engaging talk with OSU alumna Elizabeth Bell, ’90, who grew up in Northern Ireland and returns each year, still managing to uncover something new with every visit.

May 6 | Travel Talk: Learn about the Aurora Borealis and Solar Eclipse. Register.

Laura Brandt Edson, project manager for NASA’s Aurorasaurus Citizen Science Project, illuminates the science behind auroras and solar activity — some of nature’s most mesmerizing light shows.

 

Recorded Travel Talk Presentations

 

Additional recordings are linked below.

 

 

 

Travel Talks

About Kate Sanders

Director II, Alumni Programs and Alumni Group Travel

Kate Sanders headshot.

 

Kate Sanders is the director for academic enrichment and Alumni Group Travel at the Oregon State University Alumni Association, where she is responsible for the travel program as well as the association’s signature events and educational programming. Kate joined the alumni association in 2013 after planning presidential and university-level events at Oregon State University and has a professional background in project management, event planning, writing and environmental education. Travel and tourism have always been part of her life, from family trips when young, to living abroad in Australia, to work and personal travel today.

 

Kate has been to almost every state in the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. She has hosted alumni group tours to destination such as Costa Rica, Scotland, Alaska, French Polynesia, the Channel Islands, Peru, Galapagos Island, the Grand Canyon and the Kentucky Derby. She has also visited Norway, Denmark, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda and Caribbean Islands, among others.