Theme: (In)definite Optimism: Promises for the Future

Optimism is the perspective that the present moment and all its variables are in just the right position for a positive future. This attitude can offer us strength to face our challenges, but may also narrow our vision for what an uncertain future may hold.

Our notions of optimism periodically shift between “definite” and “indefinite” forms. Definite optimism defines a clear vision and path to achieving greater value for the world, whereas indefinite optimism views our world as naturally driven towards a prosperous future, regardless of our own contributions.

Have you ever encountered a crossroad in life, where your personal optimism led the way? Did your own best-laid plans or an invisible positive force determine the outcome?

Join us, as we look closer at personal moments of definite and indefinite optimism: and explore how we might challenge and inform our actions within institutions, communities and our broader society.

The Zoetic Theatre & Creative Arts Company
526 Concession Street
Hamilton, Ontario, L8V 1A6
Canada

Anthony Morgan

Founder, President of the Science Ninjas Project

Anthony Morgan is all about communicating science to the public. He is the founder and President of the Science Ninjas project, which demonstrates the success that can occur when academics and media is combined. He is also Ontario Science Centre host, guest science expert on the Steven and Chris show, and is a writer for AsapSCIENCE.

Cam Galindo

Community Student Leader

Cam Galindo came to Canada as a refugee from Colombia when he was 7 years old. As a way of giving back to the community, Cam has a strong passion for community involvement and volunteering. Since graduating high school, Cam has served three terms as a political appointee to the Premier's Council on Youth Opportunities, he has also gone skydiving, been to sixteen countries around the world, ran for City Council in Hamilton, backpacked through Europe, and even volunteered for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil as a National Olympic Committee Assistant - one of the many highlights included being a flag bearer during the Closing Ceremony. At 22 years old, Cam Galindo is currently a 4th year Political Science student at McMaster University with hopes of a future in political governance.

Claudia Emerson

Director, Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation

Dr. Claudia Emerson is the Director of the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI) and an Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy. IEPI hosts multi-disciplinary ethics research and consultation programs focused on identifying and addressing ethical challenges, ethics-related risk, and policy gaps that have the potential to undermine the impact of life-saving technologies and interventions in Global Health and Development. The nuances of applied ethics research embody the complexity of uncertainty in the future of the world.

Kelsey Leonard

PhD Student, Indigenous Water Policy

Kelsey Leonard is a PhD candidate at McMaster University and the Philomathia Trillium Scholar, who will be studying the political aspects of freshwater access to indigenous communities. She is a member of the Shinnecock Nation of indigenous people and completed her Undergraduate degree at Harvard and then completed a Master’s degree at Oxford University. Her talk today will be about freshwater access and boundaries and how it relates to indigenous communities. Her talk will also illustrate that although currently the circumstances seem dire, that we can look forward to a better future where everyone will have equal access to freshwater.

Monish Ahluwalia

Thorium Enthusiast

Monish Ahluwalia is a second year Integrated Sciences student and an indefinite optimist. He is involved in a wide variety of extracurricular activities at McMaster University that range from debate to sports to even improv' comedy. He is incredibly passionate about thorium-fueled nuclear power and is excited to share his research by peppering the technicalities with analogies and jokes. Overall, we shouldn't fear a future energy crisis, in fact, we might have a solution.

Selene Dominguez Florean

Undergraduate Student, Student Leader

Selene is a 1st year student in the faculty of Commerce. She has a passionate for all things politics and civil rights, and has engaged in several clubs and groups on campus that align with these interests, such as getting involved with the MSU. In her spare time Selene loves binge watching Avatar and TED videos.

Vlad Motorykin

Entertainment, Host

Vlad Motorykin is a fifth year Life Sciences student with a strong interest in entertainment and humour. No, there is no science on his horizon. He is a host and producer of Mac Tonight Show and a co-founder of L’Undertone, a social media agency with a focus on video production and marketing strategy. Vlad is a funny and outgoing person with an assumption that you can understand his English.

Yuttadhammo Bhikku

Buddhist Monk

The venerable Yuttadhammo Bhikku, formerly known as Noah Greenspoon, is a Canadian-born Theravada Buddhist monk, ordained in 2001 under the guidance of Venerable Ajaan Tong Sirimangalo of Chiang Mai, Thailand. He has taught intensive meditation in Thailand, Sri Lanka, USA and Canada since 2003 and gives online teachings via YouTube. He has published two books electronically, How To Meditate: A Beginner's Guide To Peace and Lessons in Practical Buddhism. He is also the President of Sirimangalo International, a non-profit organization. His talk will be about deconstructing meditation and disproving many of the myths about it. His talk will show us the applicability of meditation for us in everyday life and how it relates to optimism.