Animal Allies: The History of Animals in Espionage

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at MSU, formerly MSU Wonderlust, is partnering with the Belgrade Community Library to host a presentation on “Animal Allies: The History of Animals in Espionage” at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 15. This event is free and open to the public, and will be presented online via Zoom.

In this talk, MSU alumna Kelly Lewis will introduce participants to the stories of espionage's most eminent animals and the human masterminds behind them. For decades, furry, aquatic and flying animal spies have been employed in some of the world's wildest espionage initiatives, from undersea defense and surveillance to cipher smuggling and anti-drone reconnaissance.

Kelly Lewis is a former writing and literature instructor at Montana State University. She is currently living in New York City pursuing a master's degree in the Experimental Humanities Department at New York University. Her scholarly research focuses on espionage history and geopolitics in fiction and media, including the relationship the civilian public has with the world of the clandestine.

All Belgrade Community Library online events are hosted via the Library’s Zoom account. Advance registration is required and must be completed by 12:00 p.m. on April 15. For more information or to register, please visit the OLLI at MSU website at www.montana.edu/olli/. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program.

This collaborative community event is free and open to the public thanks to a generous sponsorship by Kenyon Noble.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at MSU is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach (ATO) at Montana State University. ATO works across MSU to support and advance our land-grant mission through unique and innovative opportunities for outreach and engagement.