Tuesday 2026 Schedule

CWA
Tuesday | April 14, 2026

Tuesday brings a full day of thought-provoking conversations, dynamic panels, and an evening celebration of music and culture.Please note: Schedule and programming are subject to change and will be updated regularly as details are finalized.

9:30 AM - 10:40 AM:

From Earth to Expression: Using Nature as Material and Inspiration

Description:
Explore how artists use the environment physically, symbolically and emotionally to create work that reflects our relationship with the planet.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 4

Speakers:
Asher Jay
Nalini Nadkarni
Dr. SethShafer

Power, Protest and the Digital Battlefield

Description:
How can activists harness digital tools to resist oppression and drive meaningful, lasting change?

Location: Limelight Flatiron 2

Speakers:
Aboubakr Jamai Berraoui
Elena Gaby
John Heffernan
Srdja Popovic

Neurodiversity in the Workplace: Creating Opportunity for All

Description:
A discussion about what the workplace is like today for neurodiverse adults.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 3

Speakers:

Laura I Harder
Dr. Kerry Magro
Ty Tashiro

The Climate Path Forward: Politics & Policy

Description:
How political realities and economic tradeoffs shape what climate action is actually possible- and what paths forward can gain support.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 1

Speakers:
ErnestoAraujo
KC Becker
Roger Pielke Jr.

11:00 AM - 12:10 PM:

Show Me the Money: The Business of Sports

Description:
From college athletes cashing in on their names to the sports betting gold rush, how the sports world is transforming.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 2

Speakers:
Fernando Lovo
Diana Moss
Carl Quintanilla

Into the Unknown: How Risk, Discovery and Storytelling Bring Science to Life

Description:
From remote field sites to unexpected breakthroughs, these stories reveal the human experiences that turn data into understanding.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 4

Speakers:
Paul Bierman
Laura Lindenfeld
Nalini Nadkarni

Constitutional Crisis: The Presidency and the Rule of Law

Description:
The current administration is stretching the Constitutional limits of presidential authority. Can our government maintain the balance of power?

Location: Limelight Flatiron 1

Speakers:
Joe Cirincione
Patrick J. Deneen
Joshua A. Levy
Lorraine Voles

Seeing Story through the Lens of Oscar-winning Director Charles Burnett

Description:
We spotlight the filmmaking vision and cultural impact of Charles Burnett.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 3

Speakers:
Charles Barnett
Maya S. Cade

12:30 PM - 1:40 PM:

150th: From the Flatirons to the Final Frontier: Past, Present, and Future of Aerospace at 鶹ѰBoulder

Description:
Trace our role in space exploration and celebrate the people who turned curiosity into discovery—and shaped our understanding of the cosmos.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 2

Speakers:
Coming soon!

Satire as Resistance: The Molly Ivins Tribute

Description:
Tribute to Molly Ivins spirit of "Raise Hell, Fight Hard, Have Fun!" using humor to raise awareness of complex issues and maintain sanity.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 1

Speakers:
Lisa Graves
Srdja Popovic
Kate Schatz

150th: Generations of CWA: How One Professor’s Big Idea Became a Boulder Tradition

Description:
Howard Higman’s original vision shaped generations and helped CWA grow into one of 鶹ѰBoulder’s most enduring and influential traditions.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 3

Speakers:
Charlotte Andresen
Tom Mayer
Dr. Oakleigh Thorne, II

2:00 PM - 3:10 PM:

Pop Girlies are Singing what Gen Z is Feeling

Description:
A fear of rejection as vocalized in today's pop music.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 3

Speakers:
Lisa Graves
Asher Jay
Lynn Warshafsky
Ty Tashiro

Extra, Extra, Read all About It: Do Billionaires Control the News?

Description:
As billionaires buy out newsrooms and audiences scroll past headlines, journalism is being reshaped from the inside out.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 2

Speakers:
Carine Hajjar
Laura Lindenfeld
Diana Moss
Carl Quintanilla

You’re Saying There’s a Chance: Building a Brighter Future for the World

Description:
What can the human race do to save ourselves from war, climate change, population decline and AI?

Location: Limelight Flatiron 1

Speakers:
Azadeh Khalili
Kevin Kuruc
Scott Sherman

Innovation at Risk: How Science Funding Cuts are Impacting Progress and Research

Description:
What is the impact of federal science funding cuts and how should the international and private sector respond?

Location: Limelight Flatiron 4

Speakers:
NoahFinkelstein
Roger Pielke
Ling Xin
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3:30 PM - 4:40 PM:

How to Lose a Democracy in 10 Days

Description:
An analysis of the processes enabling global democratic backsliding, modern authoritarianism and what can be done to stop it.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 2

Speakers:
John Heffernan
Joshua A. Levy
Srdja Popovic

From Imposter Syndrome to Shattering the Glass Ceiling

Description:
Four women who have broken through in male-dominated spaces share their strategies, setbacks and successes.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 4

Speakers:
Azadeh Khalili
Parker Hamilton Poling
Gavriella Schuster
Sheila Warren

150th: Chancellors and Presidents—Leadership Across Eras

Description:
Former 鶹Ѱchancellors and presidents reflect on the moments that shaped their leadership—and the university.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 1

Speakers:
President Judith E. N. Albino
Chancellor Mary Berry
President Alexander E. "Sandy" Bracken
President George Hanks "Hank" Brown
Elizabeth “Betsy” Hoffman
Chancellor Phil DiStefano

The Climate Path Forward: Science & Innovation

Description:
What the latest science tells us about climate risks and trajectories and how innovation can realistically deliver solutions.

Location: Limelight Flatiron 3

Speakers:
Paul Bierman
Dr. Michael Mann
Dr. Nalini Nadkarni

6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

鶹ѰBoulder 150th: The America of Folk Music

Description:
A musical conversation exploring America’s history and identity through folk music.

Location: E-Town

Speakers:
Joseph Bottum
Robert P. George
David Howley
Wilfred M. McClay
Lauren Weiner