Critical dialogue on issues that matter.
The Midwest Ethics Symposium is an annual conference where scholarship and public life converge. Hosted by the Prindle Institute for Ethics, the symposium brings together academics, professionals, and students for rigorous, forward-looking conversations about the moral questions that shape our world. Each year centers on a timely theme—from the ethics of philanthropy to the challenges of artificial intelligence—inviting participants to connect expertise with experience and imagine new ways of thinking about what’s at stake.
2026 Program: Technology and Well-Being
We are excited to host the fourth annual Midwest Ethics Symposium: Technology and Well-Being, April 7–8, 2026. This year’s symposium will bring together academics, professionals, and students to consider the ethical implications of consumer technologies and, in particular, how they shape our health, identity, and overall quality of life. We welcome submissions of extended abstracts (750–1000 words) related to this theme by January 11, 2026.
Potential topics include:
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Social media, identity, and community
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The effects of digital technology on attention and intellectual development
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Algorithmic feeds, echo chambers, and political polarization
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Fitness trackers and other health-focused digital tools
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Simulated digital companions and the ethics of AI in therapy
The Symposium is free and open to the public, but we ask that attendees from outside the DePauw community register in advance so that we can adequately prepare.
Abstract Submission → Event Registration →
2026 Keynote: Katie Siek
Dr. Katie Siek is Professor of Informatics at Indiana University’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. A leading researcher in human-computer interaction and health informatics, she studies how sociotechnical interventions influence personal health and well-being. Her work has been supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, including a prestigious NSF CAREER award. Siek’s contributions have earned her numerous honors, such as the IU Trustees Teaching Award and the NCWIT Undergraduate Research Mentoring Award. She also serves as secretary of the Computing Research Association Board and vice chair of the Computing Community Consortium Council, where she helps shape the future of computing research and education.
Past Symposia
The 2025 Midwest Ethics Symposium, Ethics and Sports, turned its attention to the ethical dimensions of athletics, convening academics, sports professionals, students, and alumni for two days of dialogue on April 9–10. Keynote speaker Richard Lapchick, renowned activist and founder of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, delivered “The Power of Sport to Impact Social Justice.” Sessions explored a wide range of questions, from cheating, doping, and tanking to the risks of violent and extreme sports. Panels featured referees from the Big Ten, Indiana high school basketball, and Division III soccer, as well as DePauw faculty and student-athletes reflecting on the balance of academics and athletics. Other highlights included conversations on fairness, robot referee technology, gender and identity in sport, and the role of women leaders in athletics. The event showcased the many ways sport intersects with justice, risk, identity, and human flourishing.
The 2024 Midwest Ethics Symposium, The Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, brought together leading thinkers and practitioners to explore the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. The conference, held from April 16-18, 2024, featured a diverse range of presentations and panel discussions. Keynote speakers Jon Gertner and Nate Nichols ’05 set the tone for the event, addressing critical issues at the intersection of ethics and AI. The symposium covered a wide array of topics, including the future of work, AI welfare, and biomedical ethics. Notable presentations included Ricky Mouser’s exploration of “Superintelligence and Suicide,” and Jo Ann Oravec’s examination of AI’s impact on human cognition and rights in the workplace. The panel on AI and Education, featuring Andrew Rosner ’05 and Samuel Bennett, provided valuable insights into the transforming landscape of learning. Existential risk was a key theme, with William D’Alessandro’s talk on “AI, Domination and Control of Humanity’s Future” sparking intense discussions. The symposium also delved into more specific applications of AI, such as Rachel Robison-Greene’s presentation on AI and robotics in food systems. Throughout the conference, attendees engaged in thought-provoking discussions on responsibility gaps in AI decision-making, the ethics of AI-generated content, and the potential impacts of brain-computer interfaces. The event successfully highlighted the complex ethical challenges posed by AI’s rapid advancement across various sectors of society.
The 2023 Symposium, Money and Democracy, brought together scholars and students to explore pressing ethical issues in our politics. The two-day event featured a keynote address by Emma Saunders-Hastings on “Rethinking Dirty Money,” followed by a series of thought-provoking presentations and discussions. Topics ranged from behavioral interventions and effective altruism to mutual aid and socially responsible business practices. Speakers from various universities, including Ohio State, Arizona State, and the University of Wisconsin, presented their research, with commentators providing critical insights. The symposium also included an undergraduate session, showcasing emerging scholarship in the field. This gathering offered a unique opportunity for academics, practitioners, and students to engage in meaningful dialogue about contemporary ethical challenges and their implications for society.