Name: Presidential Lecture Series with Daniel H. Wilson
Start: 2025-10-07T19:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-10-07T21:30:00-05:00
Location: TU Lorton Performance Center

Presidential Lecture Series with Daniel H. Wilson

UTulsa alumnus Daniel H. Wilson is a Cherokee citizen, Tulsa native and the multiple New York Times bestselling author of techno-thrillers such as “Robopocalypse,” “The Clockwork Dynasty” and “The Andromeda Evolution” (an authorized sequel to the Crichton classic). He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from The University of Tulsa in 2000. He received a doctorate in robotics from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as master’s degrees in machine learning and robotics. His next novel, “Hole in the Sky,” has already been picked up by Netflix.
Join us for a public lecture and moderated Q&A at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 7, followed by a free book signing. This event is free and open to the public, but you must register in advance if you would like priority seating.
“Hole in the Sky”
On the Great Plains of Oklahoma – in the heart of the Cherokee Nation – a strange atmospheric disturbance is noticed by Jim Hardgray, a down-on-his-luck father trying to reconnect with his teen-age daughter, Tawny. At NASA’s headquarters in Houston, astrophysicist Mikayla Johnson observes an interaction with the Voyager 1 spacecraft and concludes that something enormous and unidentified is heading directly for Earth. And in an undisclosed bunker deep in the earth, an American threat forecaster known only as The Man Downstairs intercepts a cryptic communication and sends an urgent message to the president and highest-ranking military brass: “First contact imminent.”
Wilson’s “Hole in the Sky” is a riveting thriller in the most creative tradition of extraterrestrial fiction. Based on real science and Wilson’s unique background, first contact comes to life through a Native American lens with adrenaline-charged, stunning results. “Hole in the Sky” is a propulsive read that asks probing questions about nonhuman intelligence, the Western mindset, and humans’ understanding of reality.
Each year, The University of Tulsa’s Presidential Lecture Series hosts enlightening and captivating speakers who discuss a wide range of topics. UTulsa’s Presidential Lecture Series is sponsored by the Darcy O’Brien Endowed Chair and is supported by the Office of the Provost.