Advocating for the Reclamation of Self
Where does authority come from? Who decides what is valuable? How do we know what is true? Often, singular perspectives dictate regimes of knowledge and value, deciding what is considered authoritative, authentic, and reliable.
This panel will investigate alternative perspectives to commonly accepted epistemologies through three unique disciplines: law, fashion, and history.
Emily Barker
Apparel Design, Costume Design and Production, and Honors
Elizabeth Thompson
History, Classics, and Honors
K’reisa Cox
Business Administration and Honors
The Common Good: Explorations For a Better Society
A perfect society must have a strong foundation of virtues and economic prosperity. This session will investigate how to make a sustainably virtuous, prosperous, and healthy society by questioning the stability of modern conceptions of moral systems, perfection, and economic creativity.
John Goodhew
Classics and Honors
Natasha Koval
Economics and Honors
Eryn Tan
English and Honors
In Other Words
Storytelling impacts reality far beyond the land of children’s story time and the university English department. Examples from literature, film, history, and personal experience show how storytelling can control or liberate both its subject and its audience. This panel explores how authority determines which knowledge is valuable, and examines the impact that personal choice has on empowered, wholistic living.
Olivia Heale
Global Development Studies and Honors
Jennifer Kirchner
Theatre and Honors
Gabriel Blank
Film Studies and Honors
The Role of Responsibility in Science, Politics, and Education
This session argues that being human is not defined by one person alone but instead is shaped by the power inherent in the collective, especially in shared disciplinary knowledge. Therefore, the responsibilities, implications, and potential ramifications of research findings must be taken into account in either a school classroom, lab, or the political arena.
Suzanne Stafford
Biochemistry and Honors
Sarah Owen
Education, Integrated Studies, and Honors
Chea-Mun Tan
Political Science, Economics, and Honors
Truth As Praxis
Truth is rarely objective. In this session, panelists explore different processes of defining and disseminating truth. In both the sciences and the humanities, the moment we as humans begin interpreting meaning, whether in the context of data or narrative, the lens through which we view the world informs our understanding of truth. This occurs at the analysis level, as well as at the level of publication, and has real effects on people’s lives.
Truth as we know it also rests within regimes of knowledge and power. However, we all wield the power of resistance and the responsibility to take a closer look at what we collectively decide to call Truth.
Tristan Wine
Biochemistry and Honors
Victor Hanson
Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Honors
Alex Moore
Social Justice/Cultural Studies, Sociology, and Honors
Issues of Power and Responsibility in Society and Culture
This session will investigate issues relating to the responsible use of power in human culture. We argue that being human is not defined by one person alone but instead is shaped by the power inherent in the collection of people who influence the way we live and perceive through visual messaging, formal institutions, and dominant cultural trends.
Janessa Akemi Fong
Psychology, Asian Studies, and Honors
Menolly Hollabaugh
Criminal Justice and Honors
Emma Brenchley
Visual Communication and Honors
The Importance of a Stewardship Mindset in STEM
Pursuing a career in STEM does not release us from our calling as stewards of creation. In fact, it provides us with tools for understanding the depths of that calling. Specifically, that excess in any aspect of life leads to degradation. This session will analyze how assuming responsibility as stewards on the disciplinary level contributes to society as a whole — in relation to our bodies, resources, and the environment.
Carl Cederborg
Computer Science and Honors
Ryan Hodge
Economics and Honors
Joshua Padilla
Chemistry and Honors
Considering Research as Ethical and Inclusive Storytelling
Regardless of discipline, every scholar takes on the role of a storyteller, choosing who and what is included or excluded. Research is not and cannot be a simple pursuit of “objective” understanding — it must be an earnest engagement with the scope of an issue that offers constructive contributions to creating a more just world.
In this panel, each researcher sincerely considers how the story they tell inspires meaningful cultural transformation through sociological, historical, and biological inquiry.
Amy Castle
Biology and Honors
Hannah Hutchinson
Ecology and Honors
Emma Friesen
Sociology, Social Justice/Cultural Studies, and Honors
Re-Thinking Objectivity
This panel will interrogate the claim of objectivity in knowledge acquisition — particularly in science-related fields.
We, who are incapable of seeing the world without bias, construct and uphold systems that ascribe ultimate authority to objective inquiry.
What, then, do we sacrifice when we put our faith in objectivity?
Andrew Josselyn
Mechanical Engineering, General Engineering, and Honors
Hannah Roosendaal
Physics and Honors