Attend Lecture by Huntington Curator Joel A. Klein

Join Pepperdine Libraries on Thursday, April 17, 2025, from 10 to 11 AM in the Payson Library Surfboard Room for a talk by Joel A. Klein, Molina Curator for the history of medicine and allied sciences at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

Titled A Crash Course in the History of Alchemy (and Why it Matters to Chemistry), Klein will share the rich history of alchemy, from its origins in Hellenistic Egypt to its influence on the emergence of modern chemistry. He'll delve into alchemy's practices, philosophies, and extraordinary imagery, uncovering how secrecy, pseudonymity, and laboratory practice shaped its legacy. Klein will show examples of books, manuscripts, and other fascinating items from special collections libraries, and attendees will see how alchemy contributed foundational concepts, tools, and methods that shaped modern science.