Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Top-Rated Speakers Bureau and Entertainment Booking Agency for Corporate Meetings and Business Events. Book an AAE Speaker Today.
Click to Open Search Bar

Nicholas Dirks

Historian & Anthropologist, CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences

REQUEST BOOKING INFORMATION

Nicholas Dirks Biography

Nicholas Dirks is an internationally renowned historian and anthropologist, and an important leader in higher education. Well-known for his commitment to and advocacy for accessible, high-quality undergraduate education, to the globalization of the university, and to innovation and collaboration across the disciplines and between universities and outside partners, he served as the 10th Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley.

In June 2020, Dirks assumed leadership of the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) as President and Chief Executive Officer. Founded in 1817, the New York Academy is among the oldest scientific organizations in the United States. Throughout its history, the Academy's Membership has featured thinkers and innovators from all walks of life, including U.S. Presidents Jefferson and Monroe, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin, Margaret Mead, and many more. Today, the Academy numbers over 20,000 Members in 100+ countries, with a President's Council that includes 36 Nobel Laureates, and a distinguished Board of Governors comprised of leaders from business, academia, and philanthropy. The mission of the New York Academy of Sciences is to drive innovative solutions to society’s challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy.

Dirks served as chancellor at Berkeley from June 1, 2013 and July 1, 2017. During that time, he launched an undergraduate initiative, which occasioned unprecedented cooperation among the deans of undergraduate colleges and the appointment of the first Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education. Dirks convened a group of faculty that developed a new set of courses in data science across the curriculum (and led to the appointment of the first Dean of Data Science). He oversaw the development of the first fully residential college dormitory, and launched an initiative in arts and design. He invested in major research collaborations in neuroscience and genomics, developed a close working relationship with UCSF, and helped negotiate Berkeley’s participation in the $600m Chan Zuckerberg Biohub. Dirks established two important task forces in athletics, one to improve the academic performance and commitment of student athletes, the other to formulate a plan for long-term financial sustainability. He appointed the first campus lead to guide efforts to combat sexual violence and sexual harassment while changing campus level procedures and investing significant additional resources. Dirks established new global partnerships with Cambridge University and the National University of Singapore, while developing the Tsinghua Berkeley Shenzhen Institute and a joint climate institute with the Berkeley Lab and Tsinghua University. Dirks revamped the development operation (Fundraising 2.0) and presided over record breaking fundraising efforts, while spearheading efforts to promote more expansive alumni relations. Dirks took on unprecedented challenges around the financial health of the university, spearheading a campus wide discussion around strategic planning and beginning the process of bringing the budget back into long-term balance. Finally, Dirks maintained the unparalleled excellence of Berkeley as indicated in every major ranking, and did so while focusing on increasing accessibility for low-income and underrepresented students.

Before coming to Berkeley, he was the executive vice president for the arts and sciences and dean of the faculty at Columbia University, where, in addition to his work on behalf of undergraduate programs, he improved and diversified the faculty, putting special emphasis on interdisciplinary and international initiatives. The Franz Boas Professor of Anthropology and History, Dirks joined Columbia in 1997 as chair of the anthropology department. Prior to his appointment at Columbia, he was a professor of history and anthropology at the University of Michigan for 10 years, before which he taught Asian history and civilization at the California Institute of Technology. He received his B.A. from Wesleyan University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He has published four major books, edited three others, and written numerous essays, articles, and papers. Dirks has held numerous fellowships and scholarships and received several scholarly honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Foundation residential fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and the Lionel Trilling Award for his book Castes of Mind. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has served on numerous national and international bodies while receiving honorary degrees in Beijing, China, and Madras, India. He is a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Dirks was chancellor and vice-chairman of Whittle School & Studios, a global network of independent schools from 2018 to 2020.

Videos
FAQs
  • How do I book Nicholas Dirks to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Nicholas Dirks for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Nicholas Dirks, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Nicholas Dirks or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Nicholas Dirks

    Speaking fees for Nicholas Dirks, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Nicholas Dirks are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Nicholas Dirks, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Nicholas Dirks speak about?

    Nicholas Dirks is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Education, Innovation, Non Profit, Professors, University Speakers.
  • Where does Nicholas Dirks travel from?

    Nicholas Dirks generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Nicholas Dirks’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Nicholas Dirks for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Nicholas Dirks for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Nicholas Dirks or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Check Availability

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

Users also viewed these speakers:

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Historian & Anthropologist, CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences

Travels From:
Berkeley, CA, USA
Speaking Fee:

Nicholas Dirks Biography

Nicholas Dirks is an internationally renowned historian and anthropologist, and an important leader in higher education. Well-known for his commitment to and advocacy for accessible, high-quality undergraduate education, to the globalization of the university, and to innovation and collaboration across the disciplines and between universities and outside partners, he served as the 10th Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley.

In June 2020, Dirks assumed leadership of the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) as President and Chief Executive Officer. Founded in 1817, the New York Academy is among the oldest scientific organizations in the United States. Throughout its history, the Academy's Membership has featured thinkers and innovators from all walks of life, including U.S. Presidents Jefferson and Monroe, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin, Margaret Mead, and many more. Today, the Academy numbers over 20,000 Members in 100+ countries, with a President's Council that includes 36 Nobel Laureates, and a distinguished Board of Governors comprised of leaders from business, academia, and philanthropy. The mission of the New York Academy of Sciences is to drive innovative solutions to society’s challenges by advancing scientific research, education, and policy.

Dirks served as chancellor at Berkeley from June 1, 2013 and July 1, 2017. During that time, he launched an undergraduate initiative, which occasioned unprecedented cooperation among the deans of undergraduate colleges and the appointment of the first Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education. Dirks convened a group of faculty that developed a new set of courses in data science across the curriculum (and led to the appointment of the first Dean of Data Science). He oversaw the development of the first fully residential college dormitory, and launched an initiative in arts and design. He invested in major research collaborations in neuroscience and genomics, developed a close working relationship with UCSF, and helped negotiate Berkeley’s participation in the $600m Chan Zuckerberg Biohub. Dirks established two important task forces in athletics, one to improve the academic performance and commitment of student athletes, the other to formulate a plan for long-term financial sustainability. He appointed the first campus lead to guide efforts to combat sexual violence and sexual harassment while changing campus level procedures and investing significant additional resources. Dirks established new global partnerships with Cambridge University and the National University of Singapore, while developing the Tsinghua Berkeley Shenzhen Institute and a joint climate institute with the Berkeley Lab and Tsinghua University. Dirks revamped the development operation (Fundraising 2.0) and presided over record breaking fundraising efforts, while spearheading efforts to promote more expansive alumni relations. Dirks took on unprecedented challenges around the financial health of the university, spearheading a campus wide discussion around strategic planning and beginning the process of bringing the budget back into long-term balance. Finally, Dirks maintained the unparalleled excellence of Berkeley as indicated in every major ranking, and did so while focusing on increasing accessibility for low-income and underrepresented students.

Before coming to Berkeley, he was the executive vice president for the arts and sciences and dean of the faculty at Columbia University, where, in addition to his work on behalf of undergraduate programs, he improved and diversified the faculty, putting special emphasis on interdisciplinary and international initiatives. The Franz Boas Professor of Anthropology and History, Dirks joined Columbia in 1997 as chair of the anthropology department. Prior to his appointment at Columbia, he was a professor of history and anthropology at the University of Michigan for 10 years, before which he taught Asian history and civilization at the California Institute of Technology. He received his B.A. from Wesleyan University, and his M.A. and Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. He has published four major books, edited three others, and written numerous essays, articles, and papers. Dirks has held numerous fellowships and scholarships and received several scholarly honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacArthur Foundation residential fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and the Lionel Trilling Award for his book Castes of Mind. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has served on numerous national and international bodies while receiving honorary degrees in Beijing, China, and Madras, India. He is a Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Dirks was chancellor and vice-chairman of Whittle School & Studios, a global network of independent schools from 2018 to 2020.

Nicholas Dirks Videos

  • Colm Tóibín, Nicholas B. Dirks, Cherilyn Parsons: Freedom to Write ...
  • Dr. Nicholas B Dirks on why Liberal Arts program of SRM Andhra ...

FAQs on booking Nicholas Dirks

  • How do I book Nicholas Dirks to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Nicholas Dirks for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Nicholas Dirks, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Nicholas Dirks or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Nicholas Dirks

    Speaking fees for Nicholas Dirks, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Nicholas Dirks are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Nicholas Dirks, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Nicholas Dirks speak about?

    Nicholas Dirks is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Education, Innovation, Non Profit, Professors, University Speakers.
  • Where does Nicholas Dirks travel from?

    Nicholas Dirks generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Nicholas Dirks’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Nicholas Dirks for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Nicholas Dirks for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Nicholas Dirks or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Nicholas Dirks is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Nicholas Dirks for your event is available upon request. Nicholas Dirks generally travels from Berkeley, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are John Legend, Andres Resendez, Jeffrey Rosen, Thomas Pogge and E. Randol Schoenberg. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Nicholas Dirks for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Nicholas Dirks Speaker Videos

  • Colm Tóibín, Nicholas B. Dirks, Cherilyn Parsons: Freedom to Write ...
    Dr. Nicholas B Dirks on why Liberal Arts program of SRM Andhra ...

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Speakers Similar to Nicholas Dirks

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

TOP