What to watch at this year's CU Boulder Conference on World Affairs
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University of Colorado Boulder and Conference on World Affairs officials walk through campus in 2025. Photo: CU Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder kicks off its 78th annual Conference on World Affairs on Monday.
Why it matters: The conference convenes global experts to examine major international issues while spotlighting CU's role in shaping public discourse.
Driving the news: The four-day event will have more than 60 speakers across 50 panels.
- This year's CWA will also feature a collection of special panels looking back at CU's history in honor of the school's 150th anniversary.
What they're saying: "It just feels like this is an extra-special version of CWA befitting of the role Boulder and CU have played on the world affairs stage," said Jon Leslie, CU's vice chancellor of strategic communications.
- Katrina Chandrashekhar Sonwane, student chief of staff for the CWA, told us she is most excited for featured speaker Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani advocate and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
- It's "an amazing chance for students to expand their horizons," Sonwane said.
What to expect: Digging past the high-profile events like Yousafzai's speech, Ebert Interruptus, and the John Bolton-Susan Rice debate, we compiled some of the most compelling panels at this year's gathering.
💦 The Colorado River Crisis: Where Do We Go From Here?
This discussion brings together experts to examine the challenges facing the river and to explore practical, collaborative solutions for its future.
- If you go: 2:30pm Monday, University Memorial Center 235.
- Speakers:Â Lorelei Cloud, Becky Mitchell, Andy Mueller, Robert Sakata and Nancy Smith.
🌎 Innovation at Risk: How Science Funding Cuts Are Impacting Progress and Research
This panel will explore how cuts to federal science funding are affecting research progress and how universities, industry and global partners could respond to sustain scientific advancement.
- If you go: 2pm Tuesday, Limelight Hotel Flatiron 4, livestream available.
- Speakers: Noah Finkelstein, Roger Pielke, Ling Xin and János Zoltán Csák.
🎬 The Future of Film in Colorado
With the Sundance Film Festival heading to Boulder next year, Ryan Warner of Colorado Public Radio will lead a conversation on the future of film and independent storytelling.
- If you go: 5:30pm Wednesday, Limelight Hotel Flatiron 1, livestream available.
- Speakers: Gigi Pritzker, Lulu Wang and Kate Yezzi.
💻 AI: The Price of Progress
This will focus on AI's potential to drive growth and solve problems along with the risks it may pose.
- If you go: 10:45am Thursday, Boulder High School.
- Speakers: Charlotte Clymer, Laura Harder, Bob Latiff and Sofia Romansky.