The Past, Present, and Future of Doctoral Research: A Rackham Symposium

Current students and recent alumni will spotlight Rackham Ph.D. alumni innovators from across disciplines and generations. Through a series of lightning talks, speakers will share stories of discovery, creativity, and impact that bring 150 years of doctoral education at Michigan to life.

Moderator: David Sept, Professor of Biomedical Engineering (College of Engineering and the Medical School) and Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Initiatives (Rackham Graduate School)

Michigan doctoral education has advanced discovery not only within disciplines, but across them. Join a lively conversation about how interdisciplinary research takes shape—through training models, institutional supports, intellectual communities, and creative tensions—and what U-M should strengthen as it looks toward the next 150 years of cross-disciplinary doctoral education.

Moderator: Catherine Sanok, Associate Professor of English and Women's and Gender Studies (College of Literature, Science, and the Arts) and Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Initiatives (Rackham Graduate School)

Shelly Flagel, Professor of Psychiatry, Research Professor in the Michigan Neuroscience Institute, Associate Director, Neuroscience Graduate Program (Medical School), and Professor of Psychology (College of Literature, Science, and the Arts)

Andrea Jones-Rooy, Scientist, Performer, and Founder, the Data Thinking Revolution; Political Science Ph.D., 2012, and former Graduate Coordinator of Rackham Interdisciplinary Workshop

Ricky Punzalan, Associate Professor of Information (School of Information) and Director, Museum Studies Program (Rackham Graduate School) 

How should a great public research university expand opportunity, support excellence, and prepare the next generation of scholars? In a conversation featuring President Emerita Mary Sue Coleman and leading U-M scholars Elizabeth Cole and Scott Page, this panel reflects on past efforts to broaden access to doctoral education and looks ahead to the structures, cultures, and commitments needed for graduate research to thrive in the next 150 years.

Moderator: Mike Solomon, Bernard J. Lucci Professor of Chemical Engineering and Professor of Macromolecular Science and Engineering (College of Engineering), Dean (Rackham Graduate School), and Vice-Provost for Academic Affairs - Graduate Studies

Elizabeth Cole, University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor of Women's and Gender Studies, Psychology, and Afroamerican and African Studies (College of Literature, Science, and the Arts) and Director, Phillip J. Bowman Center for Scholarship to Practice 

Mary Sue Coleman, U-M President Emerita and Former President of the Association of American Universities

Scott Page, John Seely Brown Distinguished University Professor of Complexity, Social Science, and Management (Stephen M. Ross School of Business)

In a conversation that features U-M faculty and graduate students who are participating in Rackham’s Interdisciplinary Problem Solving Initiative, we will discuss how interdisciplinary collaboration has powerfully reshaped the way these scholars understand and approach the grand challenge problems of AI/ethics and reparative justice in southeastern Michigan.

Moderator: Rita Chin, Louise Tilly Collegiate Professor of European History, Department of History (College of Literature, Science, and the Arts) and Faculty Director, Rackham Interdisciplinary Problem Solving Initiative (Rackham Graduate School)

Reception-style gathering featuring a student showcase, student docent-led exhibit visits, interactive activities, photo opportunities, a creative student performance, and a dessert spread inspired by local favorites. A lively opportunity to connect, reflect, and celebrate Rackham’s community.

Student Research Showcase (4th Floor)

• Discover the latest research and insights from Rackham’s Interdisciplinary Problem Solving Initiative projects that address the impact of harmful policies on Black residents in Washtenaw County and provide new data on how U-M undergraduates use and experience AI in their academic and everyday lives. 
• AI Ethics and Equity Research Group (East Conference Room)
• Reparative Justice Research Group (West Conference Room)

Focused Installation (2nd Floor) 

• Explore the exhibit with student docents, discover notable Rackham alumni across time and fields, see the evolution of the dissertation process, and enjoy an interactive activity in the Rotunda.

Interactive Activities, Refreshments, and Special Performance (Assembly Hall)