Science and Technology Week celebrates advancements in the field of science and technology, as well as the hardworking, dedicated students and professionals who make those advancements possible.

Science and Technology Week Keynote Speaker: Nita Farahany

Monday, April 8, 2024

Brown Ballroom, Bone Student Center

• 7:00pm keynote lecture
• Free and open to the public

Nita A. Farahany is the Robinson O. Everett Distinguished Professor of Law & Philosophy and Founding Director of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society. She is a widely published scholar on the ethics of emerging technologies, and author of the book The Battle for Your Brain: Defending Your Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology. Farahany is a frequent commentator for national media and radio and keynote speaker at events including TED, the Aspen Ideas Festival, the World Economic Forum, and judicial conferences worldwide. From 2010-2017, she served as a Commissioner on the U.S. Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. She is an appointed member of the National Advisory Council for the National Institute for Neurological Disease and Stroke, an elected member of the American Law Institute and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, past President of the International Neuroethics Society, an ELSI (ethical, legal, and social implications) advisor to the NIH Brain Initiative and to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, an appointed member of both the Forum on Neuroscience and Nervous System Disorders and the Standing Committee on Biotechnology Capabilities and National Security Needs for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and a member of the Global Future Council on Frontier Risks and Expert Network for the World Economic Forum. She served as Reporter for the Study Committee and later Drafting Committee on updating the Uniform Determination of Death Committee for the Uniform Law Commission. In 2022, she was appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the NC Delegation for the Uniform Law Commission, and currently serves in that capacity. Farahany is a co-editor-in-chief and co-founder of the Journal of Law and the Biosciences and on the Board of Advisors for Scientific American. She also serves on scientific and ethics advisory boards for corporations. Farahany received her AB in Genetics, Cell, and Developmental Biology from Dartmouth College, an ALM in biology from Harvard University, and a JD and MA from Duke University, as well as a Ph.D. in philosophy.

Connecting tomorrow’s problem solvers with leaders of today. CONNECT offers the opportunity for current students to network with recent alumni. This year’s focus will be on modern communication, effective networking, and leadership skills.

Celebrate CAST alumni during their induction to the Academy of Achievement. The Academy brings together alumni who are “thought leaders” in their fields and who serve as an inspiration to others with similar career paths.

Schedule

• 8:30 am: Coffee Hour (free and open to the public)
• 9:30 am: Induction Ceremony (free and open to the public)
• 10:30 am: Brunch (invitation only)         

Check CAST.IllinoisState.edu for more information about each event. Contact Michelle Kadede at mkaded@ilstu.edu with any questions or requests for accommodations.