Cal State San Bernardino’s Disability Lecture Series will welcome Brian McGowan, a lecturer in Disability Studies at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH University) in Switzerland, for a virtual talk on March 6 from 10-11:15 a.m. The event will be held on Zoom.

McGowan, a leading advocate for disability rights and inclusion, brings years of experience in higher education and public policy. He previously served as head of the Equality Office for People with Disabilities for the city of Bern and as a diversity officer at Zurich University of Applied Sciences. Currently, he is the co-president and project manager of Sensability.ch, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing accessibility and inclusion. His expertise includes disability studies, inclusion theories, critical diversity theories, the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and diversity in higher education.

A recent talk McGowan delivered at Universität Zürich, "Disability and Normality – What is Normality, What is Abnormality?" reflects his focus on challenging societal perceptions of disability. His work continues to shape conversations around accessibility and equity in academic and public spaces.

The CSUSB Disability Lecture Series is organized by faculty members Jessica Luck (English), Tiffany Jones (history), Jess Nerren (communication studies), Jonathan Hall (education) and Jeremy Murray (history). Administrative support is provided by Pamela Crosson (Department of History), with technological support from Thinh Ly (information technology consultant). This year’s series is supported by a grant from Accelerate InSoCal and The Cog Neurodiversity Space.