Guest Speaker Sean Carroll Addresses Epstein Files Concern

Marist University feels no cause for concern at this point with guest lecturer Sean Carroll’s visit this week. 

In an otherwise run-of-the-mill guest lecture, Sean Carroll spoke to a crowd of some 30 students. However, many Marist University students have noticed that Carroll’s name appears in the latest slate of files relating to Jeffrey Epstein.

Carroll is an American theoretical physicist and Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and the Santa Fe Institute. Carroll came to Marist to present his lecture, “Find Yourself in a Large Universe,” as a part of its lecture series. 

Carroll’s name was found in 65 emails in the newly released Epstein files on the United States Department of Justice website. The emails that mention Carroll’s name are invitations where Carroll is a recipient, among many other individuals. 

The destination of most of the invites is unclear; while some events took place on Epstein’s island, many of which are vague in exactly where Carroll is invited.

Some of Marist’s community caught wind of Carroll’s inclusions in the files ahead of his lecture, and Marist Safety learned of the outcry about his attendance on campus via social media. Three Marist Safety officers stood at the back of O’Shea Lecture Hall in the Dyson Center, while Carroll carried out his lecture.

“It has been brought to our attention that Sean Carroll’s name appears in emails in the recently released Epstein files, but we do not have confirmation of whether any interactions actually occurred between Carroll and Epstein,” Marist Vice President of Communications and Marketing Daryl Richard said in an email to the Marist Circle ahead of the event. “This is a voluntary guest lecture and it is within our students’ discretion whether they choose to attend the event.”

Carroll has been transparent about the reason his name appeared in the files. A thread on Carroll’s Bluesky from Feb. 9, 2026, started with, “Hey, my name is in the Epstein files! I've told the story before, but should probably re-up.”

Carroll explained that he and his wife were invited to a dinner by Al Seckel, Epstein’s partner, Ghislaine Maxwell’s brother-in-law, and attended, not knowing Seckel’s connection to Epstein. 

At the event, Seckel, who connected Epstein with many scientists, called Epstein to talk to Carroll.

In the thread Carroll wrote, “One thing I don't get are the academics who would praise Epstein's intellect, even now. I honestly didn't see it. Even on just two minutes acquaintance, he seemed like a standard fast-talking charlatan, someone who trotted out lots of big words with no real understanding. A very common type.”

Carroll continued to explain that later, he was invited to the island for a conference, among a list of other invitees, but did not attend after “the deep-rooted sexism of the whole enterprise” became evident to Carroll when his wife was told “she could go shopping with the other wives.”

As more and more files continued to be publicly released, Carroll knew his name would eventually be featured and was aware of the initial questions that would come with it.

“I wasn't really surprised to see my name in the files,” Carroll told The Circle via email. “I presumed it would be there, since I had been invited to his island. As far as I know there isn't anything all that interesting or substantive about me in there. Al Seckel knew who I was, but I doubt Jeffrey Epstein would have remembered my name. (As someone on Bluesky pointed out, Big Bird is ‘in the Epstein files’; it just means that someone emailed Epstein and mentioned your name.)”

Carroll also noted that there have been no impacts on his personal or professional life and doesn’t foresee any issues.

At this time, the full extent of public figures' involvement continues to be analyzed by journalists and authorities nationally, as the information contained in the Epstein files is complex.

On Feb. 10, a post on the Marist University parents page said that the Marist Circle was stifled by the Marist administration when addressing this matter, which is false. The Circle will continue to keep the Marist community informed of any information that pertains to the university in any way.