Nationally recognized constitutional scholars join Nevada teachers at University of Nevada, Reno’s Lake Tahoe
July 10, 2026 | Member Submitted
Summer Institute and Public Speaker Series: Free public talks featuring Vikram David Amar and Burt Neuborne highlight two-week constitutional law institute for Nevada educators
Teachers from across Nevada will gather from July 13-22 at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe campus for the Center for Constitutional Law’s 2026 Summer Teacher Institute, an immersive professional development program featuring nationally recognized constitutional scholars and designed to strengthen civic education across the state.
Participants will work directly with nationally recognized scholars, examine landmark constitutional questions and develop classroom strategies they can bring back to students across the state. The goal is when participants return to their schools, the Institute’s impact will extend far beyond the Lake Tahoe campus, reaching thousands of Nevada students each year through enhanced constitutional and civic education.
As part of the Institute, the Center will host two free public talks through its Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series, inviting Lake Tahoe residents, visitors, students, legal professionals and community members to unique opportunity to engage with nationally recognized experts on some of the most important constitutional questions facing American democracy today.
The Speaker Series begins on Monday, July 13, with Vikram David Amar, Daniel J. Dykstra Endowed Chair and Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis School of Law. Amar’s talk, “How Should Power Be Divided Between the States and the Federal Government in a Changing America?” will examine the evolving relationship between state and federal authority and explore how courts, states, and federal institutions navigate questions of governance, constitutional limits and the balance of power in today’s political climate.
The Series continues on Tuesday, July 21, with Burt Neuborne, Norman Dorsen Professor of Civil Liberties at New York University School of Law and Founding Legal Director of the Brennan Center for Justice. Neuborne’s talk, “How Do the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment Continue to Shape American Democracy?” will explore how the Constitution’s guarantees of free expression, due process and equal protection continue to shape American democracy.
He will examine the enduring relationship between the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment while discussing how the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the First Amendment has influenced contemporary debates over democratic self- government.
Both talks will be facilitated by Rick Trachok, Executive Director of the University of Nevada, Reno Center for Constitutional Law, Senior Counsel at McDonald Carano, and Lecturer at UC Berkeley School of Law and Stanford Law School.
“One of the Center’s most important priorities is strengthening constitutional literacy by investing in Nevada’s teachers while creating opportunities for the broader community to engage with nationally recognized scholars,” said Trachok. “The Summer Teacher Institute and Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series bring together educators, students, legal professionals and community members for meaningful conversations about the constitutional principles that continue to shape American democracy.”
Located in the heart of Incline Village, the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe campus serves as a hub for community engagement, lifelong learning and public dialogue. While the Summer Teacher Institute is designed for educators, the Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series is free and open to the public, offering a rare opportunity to hear directly from nationally recognized constitutional scholars in an intimate setting overlooking Lake Tahoe.
Event Information Location: University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe | Prim Library
291 Country Club Drive Incline Village, NV 89451
Monday, July 13, 2026
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Vikram David Amar
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
6:00–7:30 p.m.
Burt Neuborne
Both events are free and open to the public. Complimentary parking is available. Advance registration is requested through the UNR Event Calendar.
The 2026 Summer Teacher Institute and Constitutional Scholars Speaker Series are supported in part by generous grantsm from the E. L. Wiegand Foundation and the Redfield Foundation.
For more information about the Center for Constitutional Law, visit www.unr.edu/constitutional-law.
– @unevadareno –
The University of Nevada, Reno is a public research university that is committed to the promise of a future powered byknowledge. As a Nevada land-grant university founded in 1874, the University serves 21,000 students. The University is acomprehensive, doctoral university, classified as an R1 institution with very high research activity by the CarnegieClassification of Institutions of Higher Education. Additionally, it has attained the prestigious “Carnegie Engaged”classification, reflecting its student and institutional impact on civic engagement and service, fostered by extensive community and statewide collaborations. More than $800 million in advanced labs, residence halls and facilities has been invested on campus since 2009. It is home to the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Wolf Pack Athletics, maintains a statewide outreach mission and presence through programs such as the University of Nevada, Reno Extension, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, Small Business Development Center, Nevada Seismological Laboratory, and is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Through a commitment to world-improving research, student success and outreach benefiting the communities and businesses of Nevada, the University has impact across the state and around the world. For more information, visit www.unr.edu.
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