Dr. Coleman Barks has taught poetry and creative writing for more than thirty years. As a professor emeritus, Dr. Barks still resides in Athens and writes and publishes under his own imprint, Maypop Books, as well as others including HarperCollins and the University of Georgia Press. In addition to several poetry collections and books, Dr. Barks is the author of numerous translations of Rumi and has been a student of Sufism since 1977. He makes frequent international appearances and is well-known throughout the Middle East. Dr. Bark’s work has contributed to an extremely strong following of Rumi in the English-speaking world. Accompanied by cellist David Darling, he narrates how poetry can be used to connect with emotion.

Dr. Geert-Jan Boons has been a professor and researcher in the Department of Chemistry since 1998 and runs a lab in the Complex Carbohydrate Research Center. He serves on the editorial boards of Carbohydrate Research, The Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry, and Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biochemistry. In 2004, Dr. Boons received the Horace Isbell Award from the Division of Carbohydrate Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. He was also named Chemist of the Year by the Northeast Georgia American Chemical Society and appointed Franklin Professor of Chemistry. In 2012, his lab had a major breakthrough in anti-cancer vaccines that was reported nationally. Dr. Boons recently received the Creative Research Inventor’s Award from the University of Georgia Research Foundation. In his talk, Dr. Boons uses his research to propose a way to cure cancer through therapeutic vaccines.

Dr. James Porter is a Josiah Meigs Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Marine Sciences. His research interests include coral reef ecology and conservation biology, as well as the human health effects of the naval bombardment of coral reefs on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Dr. Porter regularly speaks on climate change, and is a faculty affiliate of the Water Resources Institute and the Conservation Ecology Program. In his talk, Dr. Porter urges the end of dumping military waste into the ocean for the sake of coral reefs.

Dr. Belinda Stillion Southard is a scholar of rhetoric with a PhD in Communication and a doctoral certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Maryland. She is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication Studies and an affiliate professor for the Institute for Women’s Studies. Dr. Stillion Southard focuses her research on how disenfranchised and disempowered groups in society have created social change. Her research is summarized in the award-winning book, Militant Citizenship: Rhetorical Strategies of the National Woman’s Party, 1913-1920. Along with her book, Dr. Stillion Southard’s research has also appeared in Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Communication Quarterly, Voices of Democracy, and elsewhere. She has written about teaching the militant strategies of the Civil Rights Movement in the forthcoming edition of Chalk Talk, sponsored by UGA’s Teaching Academy. In her talk, Dr. Southard points out how a simple change in language use can impact the beliefs of society

Dr. Christopher Whalen earned both his Medical Degree in 1984 and his Master of Science in Epidemiology & Biostatistics in 1992 from Case Western Reserve University. He is currently the Earnest Corn Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology in the College of Public Health. For the last 25 years, his research involved the interaction of tuberculosis and HIV at the cellular, clinical, and population levels. Recently, Dr. Whalen has studied the transmission dynamic of M. tuberculosis in African cities. He has collaborated for over 20 years with Ugandan scientists at Makerere University and health officials from the Ugandan Ministry of Health. His research portfolio has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 1993. In his talk, Dr. Whalen explains the replacement principle and how it can be used to help prevent the spread of tuberculosis.

Susan Fonseca is the Founder of Women@TheFrontier, a global organization focused on highlighting leading female influencers. After graduating in 1996 with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Anthropology, Fonseca helped build the initial DNA of Singularity University (SU) as its Founding Architect. She organized SU’s 2008 Founding Conference, helped source 1.5M in seed funding, and negotiated a five-year partnership with NASA. Fonseca spearheaded SU’s TED ’09 public launch and executed its inaugural Graduate Studies and Executive Programs. As a bilingual anthropologist and lawyer, Fonseca has negotiated with Central American Presidents, Ambassadors, U.S. State Officials, and industry CEOs. Fonseca focuses on creating strategic alliances and global networks that empower, inspire, and drive positive change. In her talk, she questions the value of the table due to the lack of women in major spaces.

Sarah Pretruziello is an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University where she teaches drawing. She received dual Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees in Graphic Design and Drawing & Painting in 1991 and a Master of Fine Arts in Painting in 1994. Her work is in the Presidential Art Collection and other private collections in the United States and Europe. Pretruziello received a Grant for Working Artists from the George Sugarman Foundation in 2007 and was the recipient of a New Jersey State Council of the Arts 2006 Artist Fellowship for Works on Paper. In her talk, she delves into the therapy that comes with and the emotions that are painted from creating a self-portrait.

Raj Shah is an attorney at the Atlanta-based law firm Parker, Hudson, Ranier & Dobbs, LLP. He graduated from the College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences and the School of Public & International Affairs in 2006, as well as the School of Law in 2010. During his time in school, Raj worked with the Peace Corps and the National 4-H Council. He also served on the Executive Board of The Arch Society. He now focuses his practice on health care litigation, compliance, licensure, and regulatory matters. Currently, he is running an innovative wellness program to transform the workplace into a healthy community. In his talk, Raj tells the story of his health journey in the workplace, and emphasizes how companies can make a drastic change in the wellness of their employees if they put their best foot forward regarding health programs.

Mark Anthony Thomas is the Director and Publisher of City Limits, New York City’s leading civic investigative journalism organization. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 2001. While in school, Mark was the first African American Editor-In-Chief for the independent student newspaper The Red & Black. As a writer, he has developed literary and media works for nearly two decades: publishing more than 300 poems, authoring two book projects, and performing at more than 200 events, universities, and conferences across the United States. He has written commissioned works, as well as collaborated with media and video artists, performance groups, and musicians. In his talk, Mark informs us that in New York City, and many other cities, there is a need for community powered journalism organizations that fill the gaps where local media has failed.

Walter Crawford is the co-founder of Mind Blowers, an innovative educational program in the Athens area focused on creative learning for middle school students. He is a Banking and Finance major, who has been recognized by the Georgia General Assembly for his dedication to community service. As a driven young professional, Walter has interned for The Social Security Administration, Kaiser Permanente, AT&T Mobility, and Coca-Cola Refreshments. Additionally, he has participated in intensive career development programs such as INROADS and Management Leadership for Tomorrow. In his talk, Walter underscores the value of providing K-12 students with a framework, a method, and a mode to solve real-world problems, so that they can not only get good jobs, but also change the world in the process.

Rebeka Geer is a Public Relations major from New York. She received multiple scholarships to further her education including one from the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, the largest adversity-based scholarship in the nation. Although Rebeka faced a difficult upbringing, she has devoted herself to living without limitations placed on her by those adversities. In her talk, Rebeka recounts how she has redefined the notion of a “family” during her time spent internationally, and how her adversity has led her to discover the power of her true potential.

Raven Gibson is a Theatre major planning an Interdisciplinary Studies Program that focuses on the arts and education. She has been performing spoken word since she was in the sixth grade, and she hopes to expand her art during her time at the university. In her talk, Raven brings to life the art form of spoken word, and shares how she has used this artful outlet to take accountability for her experiences and as a tool for unification and empathy.

Erico Mattos is a PhD candidate in Crop and Soil Sciences. He graduated from the University of San Paulo in 2008 with a degree in Agronomic Engineering, and in 2009 he received accreditation to teach Agricultural Sciences. Erico now works on several entrepreneurial projects related to new techniques in food production. As an advocate of urban agriculture systems, he sees the intelligent use of exponential technologies as a solution to meet the increasing demand for healthy food based on sustainable, integrated production systems. In 2012, Erico was awarded a patent for a biological feedback system using photosynthesis optimization, as well as a provisional patent for offshore farming technology. In his talk, Erico explains how offshore farming will become increasingly more needed with our growing population and dwindling arable land. He challenges us to optimistically consider this new farming technique for us to have continued access to fresh produce for years to come.

Sam Burchfield has been developing his skills as a musician and songwriter for a decade. After spending his younger years in South Carolina playing in coffee shops and other small venues, he moved to Athens to further his music career and education. Sam’s soulful vocals and folk-influenced lyrics combine with a foundation in Southern blues and funk to provide a diverse sound.

Vincenzo “Vince” Guagliardo has been a lover of music since an early age. Vince started playing the violin in the fourth grade but became interested in guitar at age 12. Soon after, he discovered his love for the drums. His self-taught discipline was first inspired by punk rock music, but he has since found inspiration from funk and blues music. He now studies Business and Music Business.

Camp Amped is the youth outreach program of Athens nonprofit Nuçi’s Space, founded in memory of Nuçi Phillips, a 22-year-old gifted musician who committed suicide in 1996. The mission of the organization is to prevent suicide by providing obstacle-free mental health treatment to uninsured musicians and to assist in the emotional, physical, and professional well-being of musicians. To accomplish this mission, Nuçi’s Space actively participates in treatment, educates to destigmatize mental illness and advocates for sufferers. Through Camp Amped, Nuçi’s Space creates a safe, positive environment for young musicians and fosters open dialogue about the problems facing young musicians today.