Information about the Tomorrow's Ideas, Now undergraduate conference, August 16-18, 2012

1. TOMORROW’S IDEAS, NOW
Jerry Varsava, Founding Director, KIAS
Gillian Edwards, Executive Manager, KIAS

2. KIAS: VISION
 To foster an innovative intellectual environment for
the interdisciplinary study of major modern and
historical, political, social, economic, and cultural
issues and, therein, advance society and global
polity in a manner consistent with the high
humanitarian ideals of the founding
benefactors, Drs. Peter and Doris Kule.

3. KIAS THEMES
 Fall 2010, KIAS engaged in an extensive
consultation of undergraduates and graduate
students, faculty, and research administrators, in an
effort to identify topics of major local, national, and
global consequence that, consistent with the
Institute’s mandate, could be explored from a
socially-engaged, interdisciplinary standpoint by
researchers and creative artists in the
Humanities, Social Sciences and Fine Arts.

4. STEWARDSHIP OF THE PLANET
 Ethically informed
stewardship of the planet
can be pursued from a
number of points of view
and in a variety of
contexts, but there is an
urgency to examine the
issue now, and to propose
tenable responses to this
challenge. Phenomena like
global population
growth, climate change, and
heightened environmental
risk call out for the attention
of socially-engaged
researchers today.

5. PLACE, BELONGING, AND OTHERNESS
 There is a foundational
human concern to
understand one’s place
in, not only the physical
world, but also in the social
spaces in which we
move, and to which we may
feel affinity or distance. The
theme of
Place, Belonging, and
Otherness encourages an
examination of a broad range
of relationships in order to
better understand the human
social condition, whether in
the early twenty-first century
or at antecedent historical
points.

6. CULTURE, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY
 In an age saturated with
new technologies and a
proliferation of
representational
media, there is a need to
reconsider both traditional
forms of cultural expression
and new ones enabled by
technological advancement.
This topic encourages an
engagement of the
imaginative, material, and
social conditions of arts’
production and reception.

7. WHAT DOES THE CONFERENCE DO
FOR ME?

8. TOMORROW’S IDEAS, NOW 2011
 40 students attended
first conference
 100% take-up of
registration
 Abstracts ranged in
different fields and
topics
 Arts, Education, Physic
al Education &
Recreation among the
faculties in attendance

9. TOMORROW’S IDEAS, NOW 2011
Students from the
2011 Tomorrow’s
Ideas, Now
Conference at the
Closing BBQ
August 19, 2011
Alumni House

10. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
 Students from 4
continents, 8 countries, 23
cities attended 2011
Tomorrow’s Ideas, Now
 Canada
 United States
 United Kingdom
 Germany
 Mexico
 China
 Japan
 Australia
 Opportunities for U of A
students to meet peers and
study abroad after the
conference
Kei Narita, 2011 Student Keynote

11. Students discuss
TOMORROW’S IDEAS, NOW 2011
the papers
presented during a
panel session.
August 19, 2011
Humanities Centre

12. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
 Research conferences give students an opportunity
to develop their professional and personal skills
 Employers are looking for motivated and highly-
skilled individuals to hire
 Gives opportunity to advance public
speaking, collaboration, and presentation skills
 Excellent for graduate school applications
 Excellent for scholarship applications

13. Panel presenters listen to
TOMORROW’S IDEAS, NOW 2011
audience questions, with
Dr. Stuart Landon
(Economics).
August 18, 2011
Humanities Centre
Petros Kusmu, U of A
Katre Leino, U of York
Danielle
Maggio, Columbia College
Chicago

14. LEADERSHIP
 KIAS themes focus on issues that will affect young
people for years to come
 Chance to share your ideas with a new audience
 Opportunity to promote change
 Become a leader early in your life

15. Kaz Tsujii ,U of
TOMORROW’S IDEAS, NOW 2011
Bristol, presenting
during his panel.
August 19, 2011
Humanities Centre

16. TOMORROW’S IDEAS, NOW 2012

17. THE CONFERENCE
 August 16-18, 2012
 $100 Registration: covers all food and event costs
 If outside Edmonton Metro Area, accommodation and travel
awards available competitively
 External students stay at Lister Centre
 Social functions in the evening
 Fringe Festival on Whyte
 Welcome Reception
 Closing BBQ and Party
 Learning Opportunities
 CAPS: Information session on resume writing for students
 Go Abroad: Information for exchanges for U of A students to
partner institutions
 Swag bags

19. APPLICATION PROCESS
 Application Deadline: March 19 @ Noon
 Abstract
 300 words
 Application Form
 Online Google Form
 Submit only when all materials are complete
 Confirmation of enrolment
 Letter confirming that you are an undergraduate student
in good standing at time of application
 Template is online
 DO NOT LEAVE UNTIL LAST MINUTE

20. ABSTRACTS: WHAT ARE THEY?
 An abstract is a brief summary of your presentation.
You might think about writing two paragraphs, one
in which you outline the subject of your paper—
WHAT you will be discussing—and a paragraph on
your specific approach to the subject—HOW you
will be approaching the WHAT. Remember, by
definition, an abstract is succinct; do not exceed
three-hundred words.
 Ask your professor to take a look at your abstract –
it will help to have a set of experienced eyes!

21. ADJUDICATION CRITERIA
 Alignment with one or another of KIAS’s
three themes
 Clarity and organization of abstracts
 Completeness of application at time of submission
 N.B. All abstracts and application forms should be
carefully proofread and edited for accuracy.

22. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION?
 March 8, 2012: KIAS & Undergraduate Research
Initiative Masterclass
 Put Your Research To Work
 Register on: www.kias.ualberta.ca
 Email: kiasconference@gmail.com
 Check our website FAQs: www.kias.ualberta.ca