Empowering Environmental Conversations
Named in memory of the sustainable planning advocate, longtime Wrigley Institute board member, and former mayor of Whittier, CA, the Delta Murphy Lecture highlights socially connected topics such as interactions between humans and the natural world, science communication, and environmental leadership.
2025 Delta Murphy Lecture: An Evening with Oliver Jeffers
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025
Time: 5:30-8pm
Location: Los Angeles Central Library
Be part of an unforgettable conversation with acclaimed author and artist Oliver Jeffers as he takes us on a journey through his stories about Earth, environment, and our shared future. With humor, imagination, and striking visuals, Jeffers makes big questions about climate, community, and care for our planet accessible to all ages. This is not just another author talk — it’s a chance to be inspired, to wonder, and to think in new ways about the planet we want to leave behind.
Previous Delta Murphy Lectures
2024: “From Stories to Solutions: Inspiring Climate Action through Immersive Narratives”
The 2024 lecture focused on leading storytellers who are using creativity and innovation to inspire action on climate change.
Keynote Speaker:
Jake Barton
Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Local Projects. Barton’s credits include the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. He is currently focused on creating immersive experiences that spark action around climate change.
Panelists:
Johanna Burton
Director, The Museum of Contemporary Art
Art Historian
Billy Zane
Film and TV Actor and Producer
Science Storytelling Consultant
The 2021 Delta Murphy Lecture, held virtually, brought together a distinguished panel of women scientists to discuss their experiences as researchers and leaders.
Dr. Carly Kenkel, a USC Biological Sciences professor, moderated the discussion. Panelists included:
Dr. Rita Colwell, microbiologist and founder of CosmosID, a bioinformatics company
Dr. Hope Jahren, geochemist and geobiologist with the University of Oslo (Norway) and author of the bestselling memoir Lab Girl
Dr. Dawn Wright, geographer and oceanographer and chief scientist at Esri, the leading producer of GIS mapping software
