Riverside Community College District’s 62nd Distinguished Faculty Lecture was presented by Melissa Bader, professor of English at Norco College. The Faculty Lecture series began in 1961, and each year Academic Senate members select the Distinguished Faculty Lecturer. It is the highest honor faculty bestow on a colleague.

The lecture, titled Image-Free Thinking: A Forced Flexibility that Having Aphantasia Has on an Educator, explored the intriguing concept of image-free thinking and its impact on educators. Drawing from her personal journey and recent research into aphantasia, a condition characterized by the inability to visualize mental images, Bader offers insights into how being image-free fosters adaptability, nimbleness, and a fresh perspective in the field of education.

Bader has been a champion for student-centered reformation and advocated for academic excellence.