Visualizing the Abstract
March 4-6, 2025

Abstract concepts come in many flavors, concepts like mathematics and freedom which prove difficult to express in any physical form, and those like climate change which seem almost impossible to grasp because of their overwhelming complexity. We often find ourselves shutting down trying to understand them and find it difficult to connect on an intellectual or emotional level. And yet, the hard work of those who accept the challenges of exploring abstract ideas allows us to move forward as a society and tackle existential threats.

This symposium features speakers who work with a variety of visual media and ideas to make the intangible more tangible for themselves and for others through storytelling, metaphor, and craft. From metal, wood, and crochet to filmmaking, animation, and imagining worlds, the speakers seek to demystify the abstract to promote greater awareness, understanding and connection. We invite you to expand your mind and be inspired.

Fumiko Futamura
Professor of Mathematics
Holder of the John H. Duncan Chair

Laura Hobgood
Professor of Religion
Co-Chair of the Environmental Studies Program
Holder of the Elizabeth Root Paden Chair in Religion and Environmental Studies

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