The Herr Lectures Series

Dr. Duane Bratt is a professor of political science at Mount Royal University and a well known expert on Canadian politics, defense policy, and foreign affairs. He regularly contributes to national media as a political commentator, offering analysis on elections, public policy, and international relations. In addition to his academic work, Dr. Bratt is an active public scholar who engages students and the broader community through research, commentary, and public discussion on contemporary political issues.

A lecture by Carla Peck, PhD, Professor of Social Studies Education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta. Dr. Peck is the Director of "Thinking Historically for Canada’s Future." Her latest book, Rescuing Reason: How History Education Can Help Save Democracy, will be published in 2026 by the University of Toronto Press.

In her lecture, Dr. Peck will explore the politicization of the social studies curriculum in Alberta. She will show how the curriculum came to prioritize ideologically driven content and outdated instructional methods over the interests of students. She will present alternative instructional methods and discuss how social studies education can help save democracy.

Albertans live with the legacy of failed healthcare policies and visions of radical reform that are not based on evidence or reality. But there are other better possibilities. Dr. Graff-McRae's talk will chart a path to the future of healthcare that serves all Albertans. The presentation will untangle our past and present and reflect on common ground solutions beyond political allegiances or economic orthodoxies. Dr. Graff‑McRae brings deep insight into public policy, health care, and social justice in Alberta, grounded in both academic research and real-world advocacy. Her engaging and thoughtful approach makes complex issues both accessible and compelling.

This is a great opportunity to hear from one of Alberta’s leading voices on The Future of Healthcare in Alberta.

Casey Eberl is a Canadian nurse from Saskatoon who has been on the frontlines of one of the world's most urgent humanitarian crises. Casey has completed two medical assignments with Doctors Without Borders /Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Gaza. The team brought critical pediatric care to children under unimaginable circumstances as a nurse activity manager in the pediatric department at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. She completed two MSF missions, one in Fall 2024 which was a Six-week deployment and one in Spring 2025, which was a two-month follow-up mission ending in April.

 She continues to share her story in hopes of raising awareness and inspiring action around the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Her courage, leadership, and compassion are a powerful reminder of the impact one person can make-even in the darkest of circumstances.