Hosted by The University of Alabama Museums, the John S. Steiner Lecture Series sponsors public lectures on a variety of topics in disciplines emphasized by the Museums such as anthropology, archaeology, biology, geology, paleontology, and history. The lectures feature speakers who are known for being able to discuss science or historical/cultural research with non-academic audiences and engage them in discussions about cutting-edge research.

For the inaugural lecture, David Shiffman is an interdisciplinary marine conservation biologist interested in the human dimensions of the conservation and management of chondricthyan fishes. His research uses cutting-edge interdisciplinary methods to answer policy-relevant questions about threatened species of public concern. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, National Geographic, and Scientific American, and he writes a monthly column in Scuba Diving Magazine.