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University of Nebraska Medical Center

McGoogan News

Guest Speaker to Cover Shakespeare’s Influence on Disability

Event: Disability as Both a Source of Marginalization and a Tool for Agency in the Work of William Shakespeare 
Date: Monday, February 24, 2025 
Time: Noon–1 p.m. CST
Location: Zoom

This program is presented in conjunction with the exhibition “’And there’s the humor of it!’ Shakespeare and the Four Humors,” created by the National Library of Medicine and on display at McGoogan Library (Level 6) through March 15. An online exhibition is also available. 

Historically disability is ignored or absent in literature, art, culture, and media. While limited, representation of disability has been critiqued for perpetuating both inaccurate and demeaning stereotypes, leading to prejudice and discrimination against the disability community. William Shakespeare’s works often reflect the complex attitudes toward disability present in early Modern England. While not explicitly defined by Shakespeare, his works explore disability through a variety of characters and themes, reflecting both the prejudices and attitudes toward disabled people during this time.   

During this program, Davi Kallman, PhD will review the two most prominent and modern models of disability (medical and social models) and will discuss how Shakespeare’s work has influenced the creation of both these widely accepted models.  

Additionally, she will discuss how Shakespeare’s plays contain references to disabilities and non-normative bodies. This includes a review of these common themes addressed by disability and media scholars in William Shakespeare’s work:  

  • 1) Disability as a Marker of Character 
  • 2) Empathy and Humanity of Disability 
  • 3) Social Stigma and Marginalization of Disability 
  • 4) Disability as a Source of Power or Agency 

Lastly, she will reflect on how Shakespeare’s treatment of disability is multifaceted, blending prejudices of his era with moments of insight and empathy toward the disabled community. While his works do not advocate for progressive understanding of disability by modern standards, they offer nuanced portrayals that ask us to reflect on our own understanding of the social and personal implications of non-normative minds and bodies.   

About Dr. Davi Kallman

Davi Kallman, PhD is a Mexican, Jewish, Disabled Woman whose intersecting identities amplify her advocacy for traditionally marginalized communities. She is a published author, an award-winning speaker, and a powerful institutional change-maker.  

Dr. Davi Kallman is the District Dean of Student Engagement at Pierce College in Lakewood Washington. Kallman also serves as Pierce College’s 504/ADA Coordinator. In this role she works with Pierce College District students, faculty, and staff to ensure that student disability rights are upheld. In her spare time, she serves as an adjunct Professor of Communication at Tacoma Community College (TCC).  

She earned her PhD in Health Communication from the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication at Washington State University, following her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in communication from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Dr. Kallman leverages her expertise in media literacy and other interventions to dismantle stereotypes in institutional settings, fostering environments that are more inclusive and equitable.  

A key part of her journey has been informed by her own experiences as a dyslexic individual. Her work reflects her commitment to ensuring that individuals with disabilities—both visible and “hidden”—receive the support they need to thrive. Dr. Kallman’s experiences inform her vision for a more inclusive and accessible higher education system.

“And there’s the humor of it!”

“And there’s the humor of it!” Shakespeare and the Four Humors explores the language of four humors and their influence in Shakespeare’s plays. English poet and playwright William Shakespeare created characters that are among the richest and most humanly recognizable in all of literature. Yet Shakespeare understood human personality and health in the terms available to his age—that of the now-discarded theory of the four bodily humors—blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. The exhibition features rare books from the collection of the National Library of Medicine and the Folger Shakespeare Library. 

This exhibition is open now through March 15 on Level 6 of McGoogan Library. The exhibit space is open to UNMC and Nebraska Medicine communities through 24/7 badge access. Questions about the exhibit can be directed via email to the Robert S. Wigton Department of Special Collections and Archives. 

The National Library of Medicine produced this exhibition and companion website. 

Library Elevators to be Closed for Maintenance Work

The elevators located in McGoogan Library and Wittson Hall will be closed on Monday, January 27 from 1–3 a.m. for maintenance work. Individuals are asked to enter and exit through the main stairwell during this time.

Thank you for your understanding.

Online Discussion Series Around AI is Back

“What’s New in AI at UNMC?”— a monthly online discussion series that provides a chance to talk with colleagues across UNMC about how they have encountered or integrated AI in their work—is back! Take a look at the schedule below and mark your calendar. 

This series is open to all UNMC colleagues and will be conducted via Zoom.   

“What’s New in AI at UNMC?” schedule:  

  • Wed., January 22 | 9–10 a.m. CST via Zoom 
  • Wed., February 26 | 9–10 a.m. CST via Zoom 
  • Wed., March 26 | 9–10 a.m. CDT via Zoom 
  • Wed., April 23 | 9–10 a.m. CDT via Zoom 
  • Wed., May 28 | 9–10 a.m. CDT via Zoom 

Previous discussions have included topics: reviews of current AI projects at UNMC, updated AI policies and protocols, and emerging topics in the field of generative AI.   

“What’s New in AI at UNMC?” is brought to you by the UNMC AI Task Force co-chairs, Rachel Lookadoo, JD (College of Public Health) and Emily Glenn, MSLS (McGoogan Health Sciences Library). 

This series follows the UNMC AI Task Force work, contributes to a “community of practice.” 

Look back at the 2024 Generative AI at UNMC | Summer Symposium. 

Health Sciences History Hour to Highlight Biopreparedness

Event: Biopreparedness in Nebraska: A History and Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Exhibit
Date: Wednesday, January 29, 2025 
Time: noon–1 p.m. CST 
Location: Zoom 

Discover the “Biopreparedness in Nebraska” exhibition through the eyes of exhibit curator, Darby Kurtz. During this McGoogan Sessions Health Sciences History Hour, Darby will share the history of biopreparedness as displayed in the exhibition in the Wigton Heritage Center.  

Like the exhibit, Darby’s presentation will focus on the period from the 1990s when the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory moved to the Medical Center campus to present day responses and research that mark new milestones on the Nebraska Biopreparedness timeline.  

The talk will also cover additional information about stories that are part of the exhibit and provide insights into curatorial decisions and processes that led to the current display. Questions for Darby about curating the exhibit are encouraged. 

This talk will take place on the 5th anniversary of the Training, Simulation & Quarantine Center (TSQC), part of the Global Center for Health Security at UNMC, opening on the UNMC/Nebraska Medical Center campus. Read Med Center leaders’ reactions to that day in this previous UNMC Today article. 

Take a look at all of the spring 2025 McGoogan Sessions.