The thought-provoking, entertaining and indispensable Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series features a line-up of today’s most compelling creative thinkers, designers, and performers.

The highly popular lecture series is a hallmark of the University of Michigan School of Art & Design‘s fall outreach, and one of the most-talked-about events of the week.

This Thursday, Oct. 20 guest visitor is perfumier Sissel Toolas.

Smell can empower vision and sound or convey meaning on its own. Tolaas’ work is all about making systems of scents as the basis for communication. These systems can be used for navigation, education, design, architecture, health care, and the environment. She has an archive of 6730 smells from reality, plus a professional lab archive of 2500 molecules. Tolaas’ smell walks and projects help people reach a new understanding of their environments.

In conversation with Marylene Delbourg-Delphis, writer, philosopher, serial entrepreneur and CEO.

With support from the Chelsea River Gallery and the University Musical Society (UMS).

Lectures begin Thursdays at 5:10 p.m. and are free/open to the public. Penny Stamps Distinguished Speaker Series is held at the Michigan Theatre, 603 Liberty, Ann Arbor. Series presenting partners are Arts at Michigan and WUOM-FM 91.7.