The Albert Dorman Colloquium Series
Staying informed about all aspects of the world around you beyond your professional interests is an essential component of leadership.
Spring 2024
The Albert Dorman Colloquium Series focuses on the interface between Science, Technology and Society. Colloquia normally meet during university common hours each semester. They feature talks by - and conversations with - industry, academic, and government leaders on a wide range of topics. Field trips to corporate, scientific, cultural, and community organizations are also included. In addition, some important campus political and cultural events are co-sponsored by the Honors College and regarded as part of the Colloquium Series.
Dorman Scholars must attend at least 2 colloquia and Dean's Scholars must attend at least one colloquium each semester. Both cohorts are strongly encouraged to attend more than the required amount. Please click on the colloquia titles below for more details.
Regulations for Colloquia attendance: Attendance will be recorded at the entrance to the colloquium. Those who have been recorded as present will be emailed a link to an evaluation survey. The survey must be completed (within 10 days of the event) in order to receive credit for the colloquium. Scholars arriving more than 10 minutes after the start of the colloquium or leaving the colloquium early will not be granted credit for the colloquium.
You are welcome to review past colloquium topics and speakers here.
11:30am - 1:00pm | NJIT Makerspace (Registration required - register here)
MAKE203: Intro to SLA Printing
Building on MAKE103, MAKE 203 covers stereolithographic 3D printing, a printing process that involves curing a photopolymer resin layer-by-layer. This colloquium will briefly cover design considerations for SLA printing, slicing, starting and removing prints. (Note: This colloquium is limited to 30 participants. Prior participation in MAKE103 is not required.)
ADHC / NCE Co-Sponsored Colloquium
Wednesday, February 7 - Ilgın D. Akseloglu-Aydın; How Do Images Hoo? Art or Patching the Unpatchable
12:00 noon - 1:00pm | IDS 1 (2nd floor, Martinson Residence Hall, Honors College) (Registration required - register here)
How Do Images Hoo? Art or Patching the Unpatchable
Speaker: Ilgın D. Akseloglu-Aydın
Through questioning what might be the phonic substance in the images, we delve into the functioning of looking at (and grasping) the world “in the art way”, and how it bridges senses and sense-making capacities that are at the core of life organizations. Using two photographic works presented as books, we exemplify how this kind of sense-making brings the self in regenerative dialogue with the social, and the cultural.
Ilgın D. Akseloğlu-Aydın investigates potentials in the entwinement of artmaking and philosophizing, to imagine and develop life-affirming and non-anthropocentric socio-material practices. Since 2013, she has worked as a curator, art-space director, writer, image editor, art book publisher and advisor. Today, the concrete results of her collaborations vary from the design of an artistic curriculum, to working with sound through poetry and voice. Akseloğlu holds an MA in Art Praxis and Critical Theory in Dutch Art Institute (NL), and a BA in Philosophy in Galatasaray (TR) and Sorbonne (FR) universities.
2:30pm - 4:00pm | IDS 1 (2nd floor, Martinson Residence Hall, Honors College) (Registration required - register here)
NJIT Student Engagement, Newark’s Indispensable Force Multiplier for Change
Speaker: Darrin Sharif, Director of Urban League of Essex County Tech House
Newark’s continued progress can be seen not only by the impressive economic development projects in the downtown business district, but also by an increasing number of two and three family affordable houses being constructed on vacant lots in the community that have been eyesores for more than forty years. But more than a brick-and-mortar renaissance, Newark’s continued growth and vitality hinges on its ability to prepare its elementary, middle, and high school students to compete in a world that will only become more complex and competitive. By serving as “Near-Peer” instructors and mentors NJIT students can make an invaluable contribution.
Darrin Sharif was born in Beth Israel Hospital in Newark. He attended Rutgers University where he majored in Business Management/Finance, graduating Magna Cum Laude. He served as Chief of Staff to United States Senator Cory A. Booker when Senator Booker was on the Newark Municipal Council, Central Ward. Darrin served on the Newark Municipal Council (Central Ward), from 2010 – 2014. Darrin currently oversees the Urban League’s IT infrastructure and is the Director of the Urban League’s Tech House whose mission is to empower technologically underserved communities in Newark and urban Essex County.
City Leadership & Civic Engagement Colloquium
11:30am - 1:00pm | NJIT Campus Center Atrium (Registration required - register here)
Human Subjects as Research Experts: Indigenous Histories of Science in Brazil
Speaker: Rosanna Dent; Assistant Professor in the Federated Department of History, NJIT
We often think of human subjects—particularly those from marginalized groups—as vulnerable and exploited by research. However, some who choose to repeatedly participate in scientific studies develop a great deal of expertise. This talk examines the case of A’uwẽ (Xavante) Indigenous communities in Brazil who have refined their engagement with researchers for their own political purposes. From pressing health issues, to land demarcation, to an ongoing project to access historical materials and tell their own histories, they have drawn scholars into their political projects. Reflecting on her own enrollment, Dent will explore what this tells us about science, its practices, and its histories.
Rosanna Dent is a historian of science, technology, and medicine with a specialization in Latin American History. Broadly, she is interested in how human interactions unfold in the context of knowledge production, and the implications of these relationships for questions of political and social justice. After undergraduate studies in biology and work in clinical research in South America, she completed her PhD in History and Sociology of Science. Her work combines feminist science and technology studies, Indigenous studies, and digital humanities with a focus on the potential of history to be a tool for equity in the present.
Medical Humanities Colloquium
ADHC / CSLA Co-Sponsored Colloquium
11:30am - 1:00pm | NJIT Agile Strategy Lab (Registration required - register here)
All About Love: Black Feminism & its Call to Freedom
Speaker: Dr. Brittney Cooper
The Office of Prevention and Advocacy is honored to welcome Dr. Brittney Cooper for a discussion on the rich tradition of Black feminist praxis. All About Love: Black Feminism & its Call to Freedom explores themes of gender inequality, liberatory practices in intimate relationships, and how Black feminists have laid the path for societal transformation in these areas. Join us for this and much more!
Dr. Brittney Cooper is Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University. Her work focuses extensively on Black feminism, Black women intellectuals, as well as race and gender politics within hip-hop and popular culture. Dr. Cooper is an award-winning author of Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women, Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower, and Feminist AF: A Guide to Crushing Girlhood. Her passion for education as well as Black women and girls has led her to co-find the Crunk Feminist Collective, and her work has appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Ebony.com, the Root.com, among many others.
Women With STEAM (WWS) Colloquium
2:30pm - 4:00pm | Virtual event (Registration required - register here)
Enhancing Perception Through Art
Speaker: Anne Willieme, MFA; Founder and Director, ArtMed inSight
Anne Willieme, Founder and Director of ArtMed inSight, will present the key concepts of ArtMed inSight’s perceptual-art programs developed for main medical centers. Additionally, through a discussion of selected masterpieces from the world’s great museums, participants will have an opportunity to further reflect on observation, self-awareness, and communication skills and the way such know-how can support professional excellence in medicine and beyond.
Anne Willieme, MFA, is the founder and director of ArtMed inSight, an education-based organization which uses art to support the perceptual expertise of medical practitioners and professionals across fields. ArtMed inSight has collaborated with numerous leading academic and medical institutions such as NYU Langone Health, Columbia University Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, Massachusetts General Hospital among many others. Willieme brings to her leadership in the art and medicine domain over 20 years of experience as an artist, art lecturer, innovative curricula designer, and passionate creator of art, medicine and science synergies.
Medical Humanities Colloquium
11:30am - 1:00pm | NJIT Campus Center Atrium (Registration required - register here)
The Sustainable Campus: ADHC First-Year Seminar Biodiversity Initiatives
Honors first year scholars will present their proposals for increasing and sustaining biodiversity through a campus planting. The NJIT Urban Ecology Lab and Real Estate Development & Capital Operations teams will provide the context for this project and select the winning team. Join us to support the scholars and learn about our sustainability efforts.
City Leadership & Civic Engagement Colloquium
11:30am - 1:00pm | NJIT Agile Strategy Lab (Registration required - register here)
Building Your Financial Career: Money Management
Speakers: Monica Pereira, Branch Manager, Columbia Bank, Newark (Chestnut) & Eve Army, Cluster Branch Manager, Columbia Bank, Newark (Broad)
This "Building Your Financial Career" discussion is designed to educate scholars on important financial literacy topics. The Money Management session covers the benefits of having a bank account, savings tips and the basics of building a budget.
2:30pm - 4:00pm | NJIT Campus Center, Ballroom A (Registration required - register here)
Building a 21st Century Transportation System
Speaker: Rizwan Baig, Chief Engineer of the NY/NJ Port Authority
M. Rizwan Baig brings deep talent, wide-ranging experience, and a demonstrated commitment to embracing best practices and 21st century technology to his role as Chief Engineer. In his Port Authority career, including his most recent role as Deputy Chief Engineer, Rizwan has proven himself to be a transportation industry leader, collaborating with both agency stakeholders and regional partners to deliver critical elements of complex agency projects. As Chief Traffic Engineer, Rizwan led his team to a shared vision of design innovation, the use of new technology, collaborative project planning and execution. Rizwan is a passionate public servant with a proven record of forward-thinking executive leadership. He was the driving force behind the creation of the agency programs for traffic safety and traffic asset management, and was an early supporter of the innovative initiative to create the agency Operations Center. Rizwan holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the states of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. He is also a certified Professional Traffic Operations Engineer (PTOE) and a certified Professional Transportation Planner (PTP).
Technology and Society Forum Co-Sponsored Colloquium
ADHC / NCE Co-Sponsored Colloquium
11:30am - 1:00pm | NJIT Agile Strategy Lab (Registration required - register here)
From Pollution to Possibilities: Site Cleanup and the Environmental Justice Movement
Speakers: Cailyn Bruno, Director of Environmental Services; Joseph Reiner & Elise Molleur, Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists, Center for Community Systems, NJIT
Contaminated sites that are now vacant, known as brownfields, have detrimental impacts to the surrounding communities. Brownfields are disproportionately located in low-income neighborhoods of color and impose an unfair burden to those neighborhoods. While posing threats, brownfields also harbor potential opportunities for revitalization into crucial community assets, including climate adaptation measures, economic and communal development, or housing initiatives. This presentation will introduce brownfields, their impacts, and their untapped potential, highlighting how redevelopment of these sites is a necessary step in addressing environmental inequities.
Cailyn Bruno is a professional geologist and licensed site remediation professional with nearly 20 years of experience in the environmental remediation industry. Together with Mr. Reiner and Ms. Molleur, the Center for Community Systems has helped hundreds of communities throughout the US overcome their brownfields challenges through educational forums and technical assistance.
City Leadership & Civic Engagement Colloquium
ADHC / HCAD Co-Sponsored Colloquium
This colloquium is co-sponsored by the NJIT Center for Community Systems.
2:30pm - 4:30pm | Eberhardt 112 (Registration required - register here)
Broadening the Computer Science Community
Speaker: Maria Klawe; President, Math for America
Computing is one of the least diverse disciplines in science and engineering in terms of participation by women, African-Americans and Hispanics, and the only discipline where participation by women has significantly decreased over the last four decades. This talk discusses successful strategies for significantly increasing the number of women and students of color majoring in computer science.
Dr. Maria Klawe joined Math for America as president in late 2023 after a 17-year term as Harvey Mudd College’s fifth president. She joined HMC from Princeton University after serving 14 years at the University of British Columbia. Prior to UBC, Dr. Klawe spent eight years with IBM Research in California and two years at the University of Toronto. She received her PhD (1977) and BSc (1973) in mathematics from the University of Alberta. Dr. Klawe is a member of the boards of Phenome Health and the nonprofits EdReports, MoMath, Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
ADHC / YWCC Co-Sponsored Colloquium
Women With STEAM (WWS) Colloquium
Time: 9:30am - 4:30pm | NYC (Registration by invitation)
Study Tour: AECOM (NYC)
Join us for study tour to an AECOM office in NYC to meet with Sr. NY Metro Leadership. We will discuss the engineering profession, AECOM projects and programs, career pathways, and AECOM employment opportunities. The study tour will also include a site visit to Grand Central Madison.
Albert Dorman '45 '99HON was the founding chair and CEO of AECOM, a global infrastructure consulting company with over 50,000 employees, more than $13 billion in revenues, and ranked consistently among the “Best Places to Work” in the nation.
ADHC / NCE Co-Sponsored Colloquium
9:30am - 1:30pm | NJIT Campus Center Atrium (Registration required - register here)
2024 Murray Center Women Designing the Future Conference: Intelligent Uses of Artificial Intelligence
GET READY FOR CHANGE!
Generative AI is getting ready to transform your life—not in some distant future but now: the way you learn, the way you earn (and how much), and, not least, the way you vote. Get ready for change: join us on March 22 and interact with experts as they explore how AI will disrupt the economy, creating new opportunities for growth and new occasions for bias and inequity.
Scholars may attend either of these sessions to count for the colloquium:
SESSION #1: Getting ready for Change: How AI will Transform the Workplace
9:30-10:00 Conference Co-Host: Grace Wang, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science & Associate Dean for Research, Ying Wu College of Computing, NJIT
10:00-10:30* Keynote: Jane Oates, Senior Policy Advisor at WorkingNation
10:30-11:00 Rashmi Jain, Professor, Information Management and Business Analytics, Montclair State University
11:00-11:30* Panel Discussion and Q&A
SESSION #2: Making Technology work for ALL of Us: How AI may Increase Systemic Inequities and Subvert Democratic Processes
11:30-12:00 Ilana Beller, Organizing Manager, Democracy Campaign at Public Citizen
12:30-12:30* Keynote: Fay Cobb Payton, Professor Emerita, Information Technology/Analytics, North Carolina State University
12:30-1:00 Lunch Pick Up and Break
1:00-1:30* Panel Discussion and Q&A
*Student prize drawing
Women With STEAM Colloquium
11:00am - 12:30pm | Meet at 1st floor lobby, Martinson Residence Hall, Honors College (Registration required - register here)
Study Tour: Newark and Abolitionist History Walking Tour
Guide: Luci Parrish; Library Access Services and Outreach Coordinator, NJIT
The Newark and Abolitionist History Walking Tour will begin at the Honors College and take students through a part of the city with a significant African American and abolitionist history on the way to the Shadow of a Face monument dedicated to the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, then on to the Newark Art Museum, where they will tour the Seeing America: 18th and 19th Century exhibit which reinterprets their galleries to "reframe the Museum's historical American art collection to foreground slavery and Black and Indigenous history." The tour will end with a time of creative reflection.
Luci Parrish is the Library Access Services and Outreach Coordinator of the Van Houten Library at NJIT. She is currently a doctoral student at the University of Manchester in Manchester, UK working on a dissertation within the humanities. Her undergraduate internship was with an organization fighting human trafficking and modern day slavery in Athens, Greece. She lived and worked on the south side of Chicago for 5 years, where she worked for various non-profits.
City Leadership & Civic Engagement Colloquium
11:15am - 5:00pm | Meet at 1st floor lobby, Martinson Residence Hall, Honors College (Registration required - register here)
Study Tour: A Tour of Trenton’s Architectural and Urban Form
Speaker: Michael J. Hanrahan B Arch '96H MS MGMT '96; Partner, Clarke Caton Hintz, PC; ADHC Board of Visitors
On this tour of Trenton’s downtown and the Roebling Wireworks, you will experience the extraordinary breadth of Trenton’s architectural history, from the days of its earliest European settlement in the late 17th century, through the city’s remarkable transformation during the industrial revolution, to its post-industrial changes and current redevelopment. The City’s architectural and urban development will be put into the context of local, regional and national history, showing how these trends and events impacted Trenton’s architectural and urban form.
Mr. Hanrahan, AIA has been a key member of Clarke Caton Hintz for over 20 years. He has served as lead designer and project manager for many of the firm’s notable and award-winning projects. Mr. Hanrahan also has extensive experience in historic preservation and the adaptive re-use of existing buildings. He is particularly adept at taking practical advantage of the existing character of historic spaces. Past projects include the restoration of the Historic Hunterdon County Courthouse, home of the famed Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial of the 1930’s; 200 Elm Drive, the adaptive re-use of the former Princeton University boilerhouse as new University administrative offices; the renovation and expansion of the Roebling Mansion as the new home for the New Jersey State League of Municipalities; the 164th Street Garage, a new parking garage supporting the new Yankee Stadium; the new headquarters for the New Jersey Business & Industry Association; the new Sea Lion and Touch Tank Exhibit at the Turtle Back Zoo; and Engineering Hall, a new engineering teaching and research facility for the Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering at Rowan University.
In addition to distinguishing himself professionally, Mr. Hanrahan has also dedicated his time to serving the profession of architecture. Since 1999, he has been actively involved in AIA New Jersey, culminating in his Presidency in 2011. For his service, he was recognized in 2012 as a recipient of the AIA National Young Architect Award. Mr. Hanrahan obtained a Bachelor of Architecture, with Honors, from the New Jersey Institute of Technology in 1996. Simultaneously, he earned a dual degree garnering a Master of Science in Management in the same year.
2:30pm - 4:00pm | NJIT Campus Center Atrium (Registration required - register here)
Passing the Torch: Networking Roundtable
"Passing the Torch" is a networking roundtable event for Honors alumni and scholars.
Women With STEAM (WWS) Co-Sponsored Colloquium
11:30am - 1:00pm | NJIT Campus Center Atrium (Registration required - register here)
Honors Interdisciplinary Research Forum
Scholars from ENGL102 Honors and STS 205 Honors will discuss their research from this semester. Engage with scholars as they showcase their digital posters and cast your vote for the top presentations. This forum will be highly interactive and an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas while learning about an array of research taking place across campus.
7:00pm | Jim Wise Theatre, Kupfrian Building, NJIT
Legally Blonde: Theater performance and talk back
The hit Broadway musical, adapted from the movie starring Reese Witherspoon, is being performed by NJIT and Rutgers students as part of the NJIT/Rutgers Theatre Season.
4:00pm - 5:30pm | NJIT Agile Strategy Lab (Registration required - register here)
Fellowships for International Experiences and Research
Speaker: Dr. Paul Hoyt-O'Connor; Director, Honors Advising and Prestigious Fellowships, NJIT
Hear from current and former students about why and how to apply for prestigious fellowships that help you to travel internationally and gain research experience. They will share tips about the process and how it is has helped them to think through and write about their goals.