Silversea Guest Lecturers

Lyn Farmer | Voyage 5103 | January 20–February 1

A widely published wine and food writer and Senior Editor of The Wine News magazine, Lyn Farmer has been honoured with the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Writing on Wine and Spirits. He has judged international wine competitions and led tastings and tours to food and wine regions throughout the world. His Wine Discoveries video series is featured aboard Silversea’s fleet. Since 1999, Lyn has been director of the Miami Wine and Food Festival that has raised more than $10 million for charity. For a decade he was restaurant critic of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel newspaper and is the author of the Louis Vuitton City Guide Miami (2008). 

Caroline Boyle-Turner | Voyage 5103 | January 20–February 1

Carolinereceived her Ph.D. in Art History from Columbia University in New York. A Fulbright Fellowship took her to France where she remained to teach at the American University in Paris and begin research on Paul Gauguin in Pont-Aven in Brittany. Caroline has taught at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1993 she founded the Pont-Aven School of Contemporary Art. Since retiring she has returned to art history research full-time focusing, most recently, on Gauguin's trip to the Marquesas.

George Losey | Voyage 5103 | January 20–February 1

A Professor of Zoology and Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii, Mark received his Ph.D. at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and has studied the behavior and ecology of marine animals throughout the world. Topics have ranged from diving in Pacific tuna-fishing purse seines to appraise the behavior of dolphins captured with the tuna, to weeks of living underwater as an aquanaut in Puerto Rico to study cleaning symbiosis in fishes.

Mark Eddowes | Voyage 5103-5104 | January 20–February 5

New Zealander archaeologist Mark Eddowes has lived in the Society Islands for over twenty years and has done field work throughout Polynesia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Easter Island and the Cook Islands. His extensive research on marae architecture led him to plan and direct archaeological excavations in the Societies, Marquesas and the Austral Islands, and he has just completed studies in the Cook Islands where he directed the excavation of a Paramount Chief's marae. Mark will speak on subjects ranging from "Rituals and Rites in Aboriginal, Papuan and Melanesian Societies" to  "Ancient Tahiti at the time of Captain James Cooks Voyages," and will also discuss what really happened in Mutiny on the Bounty.

Bette and Gary Halby | Voyage 5104-5105 | January 20–February 5

An architecture graduate of the University of Michigan with a masters in painting and printmaking from Wayne University, Bette has taught at numerous colleges and art schools. Her work is currently showing at The White Gallery in Connecticut, The Slusser Gallery in Ann Arbor and The Art Students League in New York, as well as many private, museum and corporate collections. Bette and her husband Gary Halby, a creative director and professional photographer, won the coveted Andy Award for their branding work at University of Michigan School of Art & Design.

Roger Paperno | Voyage 5104-5105 | January 20–February 5

Roger’s grandmother gave him a Kodak Instamatic for his seventh birthday — and he was hooked. Today, his clients range from The Gap and Banana Republic to Saturn cars and a number of luxury resorts, casinos and cruise lines. Roger’s photography focuses on the inner beauty and simplicity of form. "Working on location is a source of excitement for me. My goal is for you to feel that my photo is real, not staged, and that you are a part of it."

Geoffrey Blainey | Voyage 5105 | February 12–March 1

Professor Emeritus of Harvard University and the University of Melbourne, Geoffrey Blainey is a prolific author and one of Australia’s best known commentators and historians. TheTyrannyofDistance, which describes how Australia’s geographical remoteness shaped the nation’s history, has given Australia one of its most widely quoted phrases. His history of Australia, TheBlaineyView, was shown in ten episodes on ABC. In 1988, the United Nations awarded both Professor Blainey and the economist Professor J.K. Galbraith a gold medal for "excellence in the dissemination of knowledge for the benefit of mankind."

Lyn Farmer | Voyage 5105 | February 12–March 1

A widely published wine and food writer and senior editor of The Wine News magazine. Lyn has been honoured with the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Writing on Wine and Spirits.

John Stainton | Voyage 5105 | February 12–March 1

JohnStainton produced and directed all television and films for Steve Irwin, Australia’s iconic "Crocodile Hunter," TV personality, wildlife expert and conservationist. Together with Steve’s daughter Bindi, he has just finished a re-make of FreeWilly in Africa, and his latest series on AnimalPlanet recently premiered in the U.S. "Your Worst Animal Nightmares" re-creates infamous animal tragedies in Australia.

Terry Waite | Voyage 5105 | February 12–March 1

Aworld-renowned agent of peace, Terry Waite is a testament to the power and resilience of the human spirit. He garnered international recognition in the 1980s when, as a special envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, he successfully negotiated the release of hostages in Iran and then Libya. In 1987, while negotiating for hostages in Beirut, Terry, himself, was taken prisoner and held for 1,763 days (including four years in solitary confinement). Terry is often called upon by CNN, the BBC and other media to share his views on issues such as Islamic fundamentalism, the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo and the best way to negotiate with hostage-takers.

Major General John Hartley | Voyage 5106 | March 1-22

Former deputy chief of the Australian Army, Major General Hartley was awarded the US Army Commendation Medal three times. He is an internationally respected strategic analyst with high academic qualifications in history and Asian affairs.

Jamie Sach | Voyage 5105 | March 11–19

Jamie frequently contributes food and wine content to TV shows and magazines, and travels extensively to represent Penfold’s in a variety of global forums. Penfolds is one of Australia’s biggest exporters of wine.

Dr. Lawrence Blair | Voyage 5106 | March 11–19

Dr. Blair is the writer, presenter and co-producer (with his late brother) of the internationally acclaimed TV adventure series Ring of Fire, which won two EMMY awards. Its companion book, Ring of Fire, chronicles his and his brother’s astonishing ten years of exploring Indonesia, which included such real life adventures as sailing with gypsy pirates, visiting man-eating animals and men, and standing next to erupting volcanoes. His entire life has been extraordinary – as a diver in Mexico and Indonesia, a fisherman in Alaska, an actor, a model, a photographer and an interpreter.  Lawrence Blair earned his doctorate at Lancaster University, England. His thesis which defined the field of Psycho-Anthropology was subsequently published as Rhythms of Vision – The Changing Patterns of Belief, now in its sixth edition.

Denise Heywood | Voyage 5106–5107 | March 19–April 3

Denise Heywood is an author, journalist and photographer, who has lectured at universities throughout Britain, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and Europe. Most recently she returned from Cambodia, where she worked as a journalist for three years. Now based in London, Ms. Heywood is a lecturer for the National Association of Decorative and Fine Art Societies (NADFAS) and for the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) on their post-graduate Asian Art Course.

Dan Rather | Voyage 5107 | March 22–April 3

Long known in the industry for his aggressive reporting and folksy metaphors, “Dan” Rather replaced the venerable Walter Cronkite on The CBS Evening News which he anchored for 24 years. He also contributed to CBS’ 60 Minutes, and prime-time news programs such as 48 Hours, making him one of American television's most prominent journalists for five decades. He covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Iraq, and has written several books including The Camera Never Blinks (1977) and The American Dream: Stories From the Heart of Our Nation (2001).. Dan is now managing editor and anchor of the television news magazine, Dan Rather Reports for the cable network HDNet.

Dr. Scott Pearson | Voyage 5108 | April 3–18

Aftergraduating from the University of Wisconsin and two years in the Peace Corps, Scott earned an M.A. in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in economics at Harvard, and taught economic development and international trade at the Food Research Institute at Stanford. He served for five years as Director of the Food Research Institute, advising governments on food and agricultural policy. Scott has co-authored a dozen books, written numerous articles and won several awards for his research and teaching.

Tripti Pandey | Voyage 5109 | April 3–18

Tripti Pandey, a native of Rajasthan, is one of India's top tourism and culture professionals. She has written numerous articles and books on India including WhereSilenceSings, a book on Rajasthan's folk music and dance.

Colonel Gerald M. McCormack | Voyage 5109 | April 18–May 3

Colonel McCormack retired from the Australian Army in 2000 after serving in operational, training and diplomatic appointments in Europe, Korea and the South Pacific, Australia and Vietnam. He is a graduate of The Royal Military College and the universities of Queensland and New England among others, and has taught history and conducted battlefield tours throughout Austral-Asia, Europe and North America.

Zahi Hawass | Voyage 5109 | April 18–May 3

One of the world’s most famous Egyptologists, Dr. Hawass is Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Cairo. As Director of the Giza and Saqqara Pyramids, he is credited with such major discoveries as the tombs of the Giza builders, which contributed significantly to our knowledge of how these massive monuments were built and the lives of the people who built them. He also directed the conservation of the Sphinx at Giza and is overseeing work at many other archaeological sites, including the pharaonic necropolis at Saqqara. Dr. Hawass’ dynamic personality and extensive knowledge have enhanced global awareness of the mysteries of Ancient Egypt, and through his numerous books and television appearances, he has brought the world of the Pharaohs into the homes and hearts of people all over the world.

Rosanne Martorella | Voyage 5110 | May 3-19

Is a Full Professor of Sociology at William Paterson University and a Princeton University Fellow (1989). She is the author of several books including Art & Business, Performers and Performances, and Corporate Art. Her books discuss how patrons and society influence changes in artistic styles. She has lectured throughout Europe and Asia.

Bruce Riedel | Voyage 5110 | May 3-19

A Senior Fellow in the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, Bruce Riedel has been a senior advisor on Middle East Policy for the last four US Presidents. He was with the CIA for 29 years and was awarded the Distinguished Intelligence Career Medal. In January 2009, President Obama asked Riedel to chair a review and make recommendations for U.S. policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan, which were subsequently announced to the public in March. He is a graduate of Brown and Harvard and the Royal College of Defense Studies in London, author of The Search for al Qaeda: Its Leadership, Ideology and Future, and currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown University.

Robert Lacey | Voyage 5110 | May 9–19

Robert Lacey is a historian and biographer whose research has taken him from the Middle East (The Kingdom: Arabia and the House of Saud) to America's Mid-West (Ford: the Men and the Machine). Majesty, his pioneering biography of Queen Elizabeth II, is the definitive study of British monarchy - a subject on which Robert lectures around the world, appearing regularly on ABC's Good Morning America and on CNN's Larry King Live. For his just-published book, Inside the Kingdom, he went to live in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for three years.

*Guest lecturers and speakers are subject to change without notice.