Every year the Matsui Center invites a distinguished former Member of Congress to the Berkeley campus for the Matsui Lectureship (alternating between Republicans and Democrats). During their residency, the Matsui Lecturer meets with students, faculty and researchers, speaks to classes, participates in the intellectual life of the Matsui Center and the Cal campus, and is the featured speaker at a major public event on critical issues of the day.
Past Events
2023 Matsui Lecture: Latinos and the Future of the Nation - A Conversation with Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard
Lucille- Roybal-Allard’s extraordinary career of public service spans more than thirty-five years, first as a California Assembly Member (1987-1992), and then as a member of the U.S. Congress (1993-2023), where she distinguished herself as a dedicated advocate for the dignity and well-being of all Americans. Her tenure in Congress is full of firsts: She is the first Mexican-American woman elected to Congress, the first Latina to serve on the Appropriations Committee in the House of Representatives, as well as the first Latina to serve as one of the 12 “Cardinals,” or Chairs, of a House Appropriations Subcommittee. She is also the first woman to chair the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the first woman to chair the California Democratic congressional delegation.
2022 Matsui Lecture: The Future of Democracy, A Conversation with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
The Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service is pleased to announce that Former United States Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen will be the 2022 Matsui Lecturer.
American Politics and Education: The Rise of the Radical Center
Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin will be "In Conversation" with Ethan Rarick, Director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service.
Sen. Alan Simpson: "The Future of Today's Generation in American Politics"
Sen. Alan Simpson, one of America's most acute political observers, will discuss the future of American politics -- where is the country headed, and what are the implications for today's young people? Sen. Simpson, who served 18 years in the United States Senate representing Wyoming, will be "In Conversation" with Ethan Rarick, director of the Robert T. Matsui Center for Politics and Public Service.
Global Threats Facing the Next President
As Americans select their next president, one of the country’s leading national security experts discusses the international threats that will confront the next occupant of the Oval Office. In conversation with Matsui Center Director Ethan Rarick, former Congresswoman Jane Harman will consider issues such as global terrorism, the dangers of failed states, and the changing international status of China and Russia.
Congressman George Miller: Is the American Dream Still Alive? Congress, Labor & Income Inequality
Former Congressman George Miller is widely recognized as a national leader on labor issues. Miller was Chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor and a member of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions. Miller is responbile for reinstating the Davis-Bacon Act wage protections for Gulf Coast workers in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, in addition to sponsoring the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 and authoring the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which helps women fight against pay discrimination.
This event is co-sponsored by the UC Labor Center and the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment.
Responding to Iran's Nuclear Ambitions: Diplomacy, Sanctions, and Other Alternatives
Join us for the Spring 2014 Matsui Lecture. Congressman Berman, former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, will pull from his years of experience in international relations to examine the current state of Iran and nuclear weapons.
Co-Sponsored by: Berkeley Political Review; Institute of International Studies; United Nations Association-East Bay; The Commonwealth Club's Middle East Forum
Negotiating Alone? The United States, Russia, and the Prospects of Arms Control
As Under Secretary of State, Tauscher was responsible for successfully closing negotiations on the New START Treaty with Russia in 2010 after months of stalemate. But recently the U.S.-Russian relationship has grown troubled, and the White House canceled a planned one-on-one meeting between President Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In light of the current status of the U.S.-Russian relationship, Congresswoman Tauscher will assess the prospects for future arms control agreements between two nations that retain vast nuclear arsenals.
Co-sponsored by the Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Institute of International Studies, United Nations Association - San Francisco Chapter, United Nations Association - East Bay Chapter, and World Affairs Council of Northern California.
2013 Matsui Lecture: Can the World Feed 9 Billion People? A Global Agricultural Development Initiative
During his 26 years in Congress and subsequent service as president of the Asia Foundation, Rep. Douglas Bereuter confronted issues of global poverty, food production, and sustainability. In this year's Matsui Lecture, he addresses these critical issues facing the United States and the world
Co-sponsored by the Institute of International Studies, Institute of East Asian studies, the Blum Center and Master of Development