Chef Michael Symon to open YSU Lecture Series

A world-renowned celebrity chef, the top marketing guru at Netflix, the chief medical reporter for CNN and the long-awaited return of Bill Nye the Science Guy highlight the 2021-22 Youngstown State University Lecture Series.

All lectures occur in Stambaugh Auditorium, 1000 Fifth Ave., Youngstown, and are free and open to the public. Tickets, however, are required and are available on a first-come, first-served basis, limited to four per person. The public can get tickets at the Stambaugh Auditorium Box Office or at www.stambaughauditorium.com. For more information, call 330-941-2136 or email jmleviseur@ysu.edu.

The schedule:

Michael Symon, American chef, restaurateur, television personality and author. Symon is the author of five cookbooks, including The New York Times bestseller “Fix it with Food.” A native of Cleveland, he is the chef and owner of a number of restaurants in the greater Cleveland area, as well as Detroit and Atlantic City, and is credited with helping save the restaurant scene in downtown Cleveland. Symon is a regular on many Food Network shows and has also made numerous contributions to periodicals. Part of The Skeggs Lecture Series. 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 7. Tickets available now.

Bozoma Saint John, chief marketing officer at Netflix. Saint John has earned a formidable reputation as a trailblazing marketing and advertising executive and most recently served as CMO of Endeavor, a global leader in entertainment, sports and fashion. She previously was chief brand officer for Uber, head of Global Consumer Marketing for Apple Music and iTunes, head of the Music and Entertainment Marketing Group at Pepsi-Cola North America and vice president of marketing for Ashley Stewart, a women’s fashion brand. 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 20. Part of the Thomas Colloquium on Free Enterprise. Tickets available beginning Wednesday, Sept. 22.

Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for CNN. Gupta, a practicing neurosurgeon, plays an integral role in reporting on health and medical news for all of CNN’s shows. His medical training and public health policy experience distinguishes his reporting from war zones and natural disasters, as well as on a range of medical and scientific CNN topics, including the Ebola outbreak, brain injury, disaster recovery, health care reform, fitness, military medicine and HIV/AIDS. 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 23. Part of the Centofanti Symposium and Skeggs Lecture Series. Tickets are available beginning Tuesday, Feb. 8.

Bill Nye, science educator, engineer, comedian, television presenter, author and inventor. Nye was originally scheduled to speak in 2020, but the appearance was cancelled due to the pandemic. He returns two years later to continue in his mission to help foster a scientifically literate society and help people understand and appreciate the science that makes the world NYE BILL NYE work. Nye is the author of several books and the subject of the critically acclaimed documentary, “Bill Nye: Science Guy.” He currently stars in the Netflix series, “Bill Nye Saves the Planet.” 7 p.m., Thursday, April 28. Part of the Skeggs Lecture Series. Tickets available beginning Monday, March 14.