In a role that’s become as natural for Jonathan Green as his red beard and familiar bow ties, the College dean will present Sweet Briar’s first Honors Colloquium of the new academic year at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10 in the Keck Honors Center.

The annual lecture series – whose contributors are Sweet Briar faculty members in addition to occasional guest speakers – is meant to engender an intellectual conversation around a single unifying concept. This year’s theme is “Alien.”

The idea is to examine the different meanings attached to a word or phrase when viewed through the varying perspectives of the sciences, the arts and the humanities. The colloquia are a means for students, faculty and staff to engage in academic discourse outside of the classroom.

Green has delivered the first lecture of the series for the past several years, essentially setting the stage for the yearlong discussion to follow. It should be noted that he’s generally speaking to an overflow crowd, so it’s recommended that people come early to get a seat.

The view he brings to the podium is that of music professor, composer, conductor and administrator. In introducing this year’s theme, Green said he will suggest that we may have a “fairly skewed” idea of what alien means in contemporary culture.

His talk is titled “Three Times an Alien: Gustav Mahler as Metaphor.” It will draw from the life of Mahler, a composer and conductor who famously described himself as “three times homeless, a Bohemian in Austria, an Austrian among Germans and a Jew throughout the world, everywhere an intruder, never welcomed.”

For Green, Mahler’s experience points out “how relevant and personal alienation can be.” It’s a heavy topic, he concedes, but his take on it will not be without humor.

The lineup for 2008-2009 also includes new faculty members, which provides opportunities for students and colleagues to get to know them and their research. For more information and to view upcoming speakers, please visit the Honors Program Web site.