Uncover ‘The New Age of Exploration’ at Clarke

Join Clarke University in uncovering “The New Age of Exploration” with David Thoreson on Wednesday, April 3. After postponing his lecture in 2023, the photographer, author, sailor and explorer is back as part of the Mackin-Mailander Lecture Series to share some of the greatest insights from his world travels. The event begins at 7 p.m. in Jansen Music Hall and is free and open to the public.  

David has worked as a professional photographer, author, sailor and explorer documenting the outdoor environment locally in the Iowa Great Lakes region, and globally, sailing 75,000-miles across the world’s oceans and polar regions. Exploring the Arctic Ocean led David to the issue of climate change, altering his life and work forever. Thoreson hopes to inspire others to explore their own connections to nature, especially water quality issues. David is the author of the photo book “Over the Horizon,” a TEDx presenter, National Fellow of the Explorers Club and lectures at universities and institutions across the globe. 

“I heard David speak at a climate conference a few years ago, and I was amazed by his passion for the issue of climate change,” said Michael Knock, Associate Professor of History and Chair of the Mackin-Mailander Committee at Clarke. “He has seen the impact of this issue firsthand in his voyages through the Arctic, and the fact that he is a native Iowan makes what he’s accomplished all the more impressive.” 

The Clarke University Mackin-Mailander Lecture Series was established in 1997 after Clarke received gifts from two alumnae, Mary Mackin ’34 and Verna Slattery-Mailander ’20, to establish an endowed lecture series. The annual series consists of three lectures, including a prominent outside speaker, a faculty lecture, and an alumni lecture.