WGS Spring Lectures

This spring, we hosted two exciting lectures!

In early March, sustainability expert, author, and keynote speaker for the 2026 Symposium on Sustainability, Ashlee Piper, presented her lecture, Not Buying It: How to Overcome Our Urge to Overconsume. Then, in early April, author, podcaster, and journalist Lyz Lenz joined us for her talk, Life and Inspiration in Iowa.

Both events were part of the Women’s and Gender Studies Lecture Series, funded by the Mellon Foundation’s Affirming Multivocal Humanities Grant. The grant was awarded to Dr. Kelly Winfrey and the WGS Program in fall 2023.

Learn more about these authors, read event recaps, and view photos from both lectures below!

Ashlee Piper – Not Buying It: How to Overcome Our Urge to Overconsume

Ashlee Piper is a sustainability expert, TV personality, author, and globally recognized speaker whose work has appeared in more than 310 television segments, including The TODAY Show, Good Morning America, LIVE with Kelly & Mark, and CNN. Her writing and expertise have also been featured in outlets such as VOGUE, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Marie Claire, The Atlantic, and Newsweek.

Her 2018 book, Give a Sht: Do Good. Live Better. Save the Planet.*, has been called a “sustainability Bible.” Throughout her career, she has consulted for major companies including Airbnb, LUSH, Nissan, and Eileen Fisher; served as a cabinet-level advisor to two Massachusetts governors; and judged the Marie Claire Sustainability Awards. Piper has spoken at the United Nations and SXSW, delivered a popular TED Talk, and created the award-winning #NoNewThings Challenge, which became her second book in 2025.

A former Professor of Sustainability Marketing at Loyola University Chicago and eco-instructor for LinkedIn Learning, Piper holds degrees from Brown University, the University of Oxford, and IIN/Columbia University. She lives in Chicago with her beloved 18-pound rescue cat, Skip, in a home that is 98% secondhand.

Some of our favorite takeaways from Ashlee’s talk:

• The urge to buy something typically lasts only 2–7 minutes. Giving yourself a little time before making a purchase can help you decide whether you truly need it and will actually use it.
• Ashlee found that feeling cold, hungry, thirsty, tired, or stressed often triggered the desire to shop. Understanding those triggers creates space to choose a different response.
• Before making a purchase, ask yourself: What am I hoping to feel by buying this, and why?
• Excess stuff costs more than money—it also takes time to store, organize, repair, and search through. (We’ve all been there!)
• Adopt a “secondhand first” mindset whenever possible.

This event was co-sponsored by the Office of Sustainability, the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and the Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government).

Lyz Lenz – Life and Inspiration in Iowa

Lyz Lenz is a journalist and bestselling memoirist whose work explores the intersections of politics, gender, faith, and power in America’s heartland. The author of God Land, Belabored, and the acclaimed 2024 memoir This American Ex-Wife, she is known for her incisive wit, fearless questions, and nationally recognized commentary in outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, as well as her popular newsletter, Men Yell at Me.

Lenz brings humor, clarity, and a sense of urgency to conversations about identity, autonomy, and the stories that shape our lives.

Our favorite moments from the lecture

• Hearing about her experience growing up as the second-oldest of eight children in a deeply religious family in Texas.
• Placing purity rings in historical context, including the personal story of the ring her father gave her.
• Discussing why women choose to change—or keep—their last names after marriage.
• Examining how readily people set aside parts of their identity in order to fit in or avoid conflict.
• Exploring the gap in domestic labor, as well as the mental and cognitive load often carried within households.
• Reflecting on how faith and religious practice in the Midwest have evolved since the publication of God Land in 2016.
• Talking about raising children in the age of YouTube-driven radicalization and the importance of fostering strong, real-world social connections.

This event was co-sponsored by the University Library, the Women’s and Gender Studies Program, and the Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government).

Thanks for joining us!

A huge thank-you to Ashlee Piper and Lyz Lenz for coming to Iowa State and sharing your stories, perspectives, and wisdom with us. We loved hosting both of you and learning from your experiences. And thank you to all the students and community members who attended, asked thoughtful questions, and made these events so engaging. We look forward to bringing more inspiring speakers to campus in the future!