Humanities Summit Schedule
March 26 and 27, 2026
“Humanities in Action 250”
The many synergies with USA 250 national and Wyoming-wide celebrations of the founding
of the United States is a central focal point of this year’s HumSum to demonstrate
“Humanities in Action” then, but also emphasizing an awareness of now as we forge
the future of Humanities through interdisciplinary relationships all across UW, our
state, and the nation.
Thursday, March 26, All Thursday events at Coe Library 506
All Day Photo and Poster Displays, facilitated by Caroline McCracken-Flesher and Nick
Robinson: Center for Global Studies “Objects” International Photo Exhibit Display
Graduate Student and “Literary London” Poster Display
8:00-8:15am Continental Breakfast
8:15-8:40am Native American Land Acknowledgement by Jeff Means, followed by Welcomes by VP for
Research Parag Chitnis and Deans Kvenild, Parolin, and Turpen
8:45 – 10:15am WIHR Director Melissa Morris introduces Keynote Speaker Jim Ambuske, speaking on the American Revolution, “Turning Worlds Upside Down: Reflections on Public History and Podcasting a Revolution,” sponsored by WIHR, History and American Cultural Studies Departments
10:15-10:45am Music of the Revolutionary Era Performance by University of Wyoming Collegiate Chorale,
Brian C. Murray, conductor
"Hark I Hear the Harps Eternal" - arr. Alice Parker
"Imagined Corners" - Reginal Wright
"Battle of Jericho" - arr. Moses Hogan
10:45am-12:00pm Wyoming Humanities Panel and Film Trailer for Before Wyoming: The West in 1776
Moderator: Chloe Flagg
Panelists: Lynette St. Clair, Film Co-producer
Spencer Pelton, State Archeologist
Melissa Morris, WIHR Director
12:00-1:00pm Lunch and Graduate Student Poster Exhibit and Discussion during Lunch both Thursday
and Friday
Faith Breads, MFA English, CW and ENR, “A Humanities Field Guide to Wyoming”
Shelby Dodds, MA English, “Military Grade Masculinity”
Shifa Ijaz, PhD English, Public Humanities, “Who Gets to be Remembered? South Asian
Women and Public Memory in Northern England”
Ashley M Laughlin, MA English, “A Hole in the Ground: Why We Long for the Shire”
Mercy McAndrew, MA English, “Cozy Capitalism in Animal Crossing”
Lena Newlin, MFA MPH, PhD English, Public Humanities, “Public Humanities for Kids:
Translating Archival Research into Picture Book Stories”
Misty B. Springer, PhD English, Public Humanities, “Preserving Indigenous San Stories”
Liz Youngman, MA English, “Edith Wharton’s Hauntings”
1:00-2:30pm English Department Panel on Public Humanities: “Leadership Practices and the English
Department's Changing Identity and Turn Toward the Public Humanities.”
Moderator: Kelly Kinney
Panelists: Rick Fisher, Lena Newlin, Misty Springer
2:30 - 2:45pm Break
2:45-3:30pm Modern and Classical Languages Panel: “Human Ties: Identity, Language and Memoir
in US Hispanic Literature”
Panelists: Sonia Rodríguez Hicks, “Displacement and Resistance: Reimagining and Reconstructing
the Notion of Home in Reyna Grande’s Memoirs”
Joy Landeira, “Deconstructing Memoir: Absence and Presence in Ariel Dorfmann’s Heading
South, Looking North”
3:30-5:00pm English Dept Panel: "Literary Publics Past and Present: Popular Non-Fiction, Reading
Groups, and Documentaries."
Moderator: Mike Edson
Panelists: Hallie Guidry, "Killing No Certainty: Tracking a 1657 Pamphlet Through
Conspiracy, Tyranny, and Doubt."
Kennedy Penn-O’Toole
Jim Ambuske, Director of Digital History at More Perfect, “Finding Jane Austen”
5:00-5:30pm Community Reception before Mary Favret’s Keynote, sponsored by Depts. of English, MCL and Phi Beta Kappa, followed by Keynote:
5:30-7:00pm Keynote: Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Mary Favret. Master of Ceremonies Joy Landeira acknowledges Phi Beta Kappa’s 250 anniversary and introduces Caroline McCracken-Flesher, who will introduce Mary Favret, John’s Hopkins University, “Jane Austen’s Object World”
Friday, Mar 27 All Morning events at Coe Library 506.
All Morning Photo and Poster Display, Coe 506
Center for Global Studies “Objects” International Photo Exhibit Display
Graduate Student Poster Display and “Literary London” Poster Display
8:00-8:15am Continental Breakfast sponsored by Honors College.
8:15-9:45am Honors College panel “Humanities Perspectives in Interdisciplinary Honors Projects”
Honors College undergraduates and recent graduates share Capstone projects that incorporate
humanities perspectives with panel discussion
Moderator: Peter Parolin, Dean of Honors College
Panelists: Gregory Barr
Michaela Eddy
Daljit Kaur
Jasmin Mahoney
Hannah Small
Stella Vickland-Davis
9:45-10:30am Coffee Break with Edward Larson
10:30am-12:00pm Conversation-Based Panel, “Public Humanities in Action,” panelists who have been
funded by Nancy Small’s grant “Re-Storying Wyoming” describe their award-winning projects
and elicit widespread audience discussion and involvement about working in the public
humanities.
Moderator: Nichole Nomura
Panelists: Matthew Greenberg, Theater and Dance
Aubrey Edwards, English/Public Humanities
Melanie Armstrong, Haub School
Nik Sweet, Anthropology
Nichole Nomura, English
12:00-1:00pm Keynote Luncheon and Poster Session, sponsored by Research and Economic Development
Office, University Libraries and School of Computing.
Moderator: Raya Hegeman-Davis
Keynote Speaker: Daniel Scott Snelson, Associate Professor of English and Design
Media Arts, University of California, Los Angeles. “Probability Storms in the Digital
Humanities: Creative Tactics for Critical Futures”
[Offsite notes: from 10:30am-1:00pm Edward Larson will be chaperoned by Jean Garrison
to speak with grad students in A&S and Washakie.]
Friday, Mar 27 Afternoon. “Humanities in Action” Engagement Workshops.
From 1:00-3:30pm change of venue, participants are encouraged to explore UW’s Art Museum, American
Heritage Center, and Visual Arts for “Open Houses” to visit displays and Guided tours
to promote community involvement with focus on: USA 250, Wyo 250. Possible Workshop/demo
pre-rehearsal talk by Theater and Dance related to Much Ado About Nothing production
schedule.
3:30-4:00pm Move to A&S for Finale:
4:00-5:30pm Arts and Sciences Auditorium Finale. Master of Ceremonies: Jean Garrison introduces
Dean Turpen, who introduces Keynote Speaker Edward Larson. At end of Larson’s talk
(about 5:15), Master of Ceremonies Jean Garrison conducts Q&A and transitions to lobby
for Larson book signing and America’s Birthday cake reception.
5:30pm “USA 250 Birthday Cake” reception and Larson book signing in A&S Lobby.
Sponsoring Groups:
American Heritage Center
Center for Global Studies
College of Arts & Sciences
Departments: American Cultural Studies, English, History, Modern & Classical Languages,
Philosophy & Religious Studies
Free Expression, Intellectual Freedom, and Constructive Dialogue Initiative
Goode Family Fund
Honors College
Office of Community Engagement
Office of Global Engagement
Office of the President
Office of Research and Economic Development
Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society
Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Program
School of Computing
University Libraries
UW Art Museum
Wallop Civic Engagement Program
Wyoming Institute of Humanities Research (WIHR)
Wyoming Humanities Council
Questions?
For more information about the UW Humanities Summit, contact Joy Landeira at jlandeir@uwyo.edu.
