Northwestern Buffett Fall 2022 Event Roundup
December 20, 2022
This Fall, we hosted a range of events to foster dialogue on pressing global issues, from artificial intelligence and national security to demonstrations for freedom in Iran to the recent US-Pacific Islands Summit. Take a look at our roundup of fall event highlights and recordings, and subscribe to our mailing list to stay up to date on our latest news and happenings.
- On October 12, we hosted a fireside chat with former U.S. ambassador Steven McGann. McGann, a retired senior foreign service officer with the rank of Minister-Counselor, was the U.S. ambassador to the Republics of Fiji, Nauru, Kiribati, and the Kingdom of Tonga and Tuvalu from 2008 to 2011. McGann discussed his career as a U.S. ambassador, the recent S.-Pacific Islands Country Summit and current challenges facing the Pacific region. Watch a recording of the event and listen to a recent Breaking Boundaries podcast episode with Ambassador McGann >>
- On October 20, we partnered with the McCormick School of Engineering to host a Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) & National Security. The conference marked the launch of the new Northwestern Security & AI Lab (NSAIL) led by Northwestern McCormick's Walter P. Murphy Professor of Computer Science and Northwestern Buffett Faculty Fellow V.S. Subrahmanian. NSAIL conducts fundamental research in AI relevant to issues of cybersecurity and counterterrorism, and the conference featured a range of presentations and panel discussions from leading experts in AI, cybersecurity and national security. Learn more about the Conference on AI & National Security >>
- On October 28, we hosted an international and interdisciplinary panel on “Gender and Artificial Intelligence: Striving for Social Justice and Protection of Rights in the Age of AI.” This event invited faculty from Northwestern University and the University of Tokyo to discuss how societal structures have shaped AI and how AI, in turn, is transforming our societies and lives. Panelists drew on historic and current examples of how technology has created and exacerbated injustices, and reflected on how digital technology and AI could be better utilized to support gender equity. Watch a recording of the event >>
- On November 2, we hosted a virtual dialogue with Elham Hoominfar, Assistant Professor in the Global Health Studies Program at Northwestern University, to discuss ongoing demonstrations in Iran in response to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, after she was arrested and beaten by the Iranian “Morality Police” for improper veiling. During the discussion, Hoominfar offered insight into the current protests and history of women-led social movements in Iran, the ways in which “gender apartheid” is enforced by the Iranian government, and how international grassroots movements can support the demonstrations. Read an event recap from the Daily Northwestern and watch a recording of the event >>
- On November 2, we hosted a screening of the film A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps. A Towering Task examines the history and legacy of the Peace Corps and its struggle to remain relevant amid global sociopolitical change over the past six decades. The screening was followed by a panel discussion on global citizenship and other themes with film with director Alana DeJoseph and Northwestern University Clinical Professor of Law Juliet Sorensen. Learn more about A Towering Task >>
- On November 17, the U7+ Alliance of World Universities co-convened a panel titled Universities as Key Solutions Providers: Leveraging our Local and Global Networks for Innovation, alongside three other university networks at the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27), held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. During the panel, university leaders discussed how universities are collaborating amongst themselves as well as with governments, local communities and industries to create transformative climate solutions. The event also featured a videohighlighting student projects from across the U7+ that are addressing climate change.
- On December 1, we hosted a panel discussion on “Women Paving the Way in Diplomacy.” This event was part of the Women’s Majlis Series, an initiative organized by Executive Women @ State, a U.S. Department of State employee organization advocating for gender equality and fostering professional development among senior diplomatic women. The event featured a panel of current and former female U.S. ambassadors who discussed their diplomatic and scholarly pursuits, as well as the challenges and opportunities they encountered as trailblazers in diplomacy. Watch a recording of the event >>