Professor Carl Becker from the Kyoto University School of Medicine presenting at the 39th Annual Research Conference. His presentation was titled "Sustainable Wisdom in Asian Lifestyles."

UOG research conference to focus on issues unique to Oceania

The 40th CLASS Annual Research Conference themed “I Tano, I Tasi, yan I Taotao Siha: Boundaries, Balance, and Behaviors” will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, March 8, in the Humanities & Social Sciences Building on the campus of the University of Guam.

The Annual Research Conference (ARC) is organized by UOG’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) as a forum for intellectual engagement and discussions on issues related and unique to Oceania, a global resource endowed with significant ecological and cultural diversity.

It is a multidisciplinary research conference platform for local, regional, and global scholars, scientists, visual and theatrical artists, and students to share their research and experiences. The conference will include presentations of academic papers, illustrated talks, interactive panels and demonstrations, performances, and informative poster sessions.

The theme is meant to generate insightful conversations and novel ideas that evaluate, redefine, and promote the collaborative projects in diverse fields in the Pacific region. Practitioners and scholars are encouraged to interrogate how those issues manifest in the Pacific as well as examine the changing role of Oceania as it grapples with the social forces of globalization.

The conference will feature collaborations and innovations in multidisciplinary areas on topics such as:

• Social Interactions and Mindfulness
• Discoveries and Rediscoveries
• Humanities
• Community
• Indigenous Identity in Art and Science
• Education
• Tourism
• Issues of Gender and Women’s Empowerment

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Eric S. Nelson, associate professor of humanities at Hong Kong University of Science & Technology.

The conference will conclude with the 2nd Annual ARC Visual Arts Exhibition. Artists, including UOG fine arts faculty, alumni, students, and local artists, will respond to the conference theme in visual or conceptual art. An opening reception for the show will be held at the close of the conference from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Isla Center for the Arts, Dean’s Circle House #15. The exhibition will be open to the public until March 16.

For more information, contact:

Diane Isis Thurber

University of Guam

Tel: (671) 777-4747

Email: dthurber@triton.uog.edu