2025 GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

The 6th Annual Global Engagement Conference on May 21 was a tremendous success with over 200 attendees, including over 50 undergraduates from four area colleges and universities presenting research and projects connected to the theme: "INNOVATION ACROSS BORDERS."
 

Keynote Address

Dr. Ciara O'Connell (Principal Officer, Criminal Policy, Ireland Department of Justice | Global Honors ‘09) delivered the conference keynote, "Global Rights, Local Lives: Prioritizing People for Meaningful Change."

Dr. O'Connell's far-reaching work in prison reform, using human-centered design to understand prisoner experience of online court trials, for example, brought important lessons for the rapt audience: question when innovation engenders harm through technology, understand when silence and listening can bring about change, and keep building relationships to open doors.

Dr. O'Connell is an expert in international human rights law, with degrees from the University of Sussex (PhD, 2017), the Irish Centre for Human Rights (LLM, 2010), and University of Washington Tacoma (IAS and Global Honors, 2009).She is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. She has published widely on various human rights-related areas such as deprivation of liberty, gender, and human rights, and has conducted field research in countries across Latin America, Africa, and Europe.

Opening Remarks

Chancellor Sheila Edwards Lange commended the Institute for Innovation and Global Engagement in her opening remarks, calling it "a bedrock of our University’s commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and learning."

She noted: “We live in an age of heightened mistrust and conflict across the globe... Climate change, public health, human rights, and income inequality hold no regard for arbitrary lines between countries, communities, or academic disciplines. I am deeply inspired by today’s program, which features themes selected by UW Tacoma students and faculty who embody the collaborative spirit of this event.”

Student Presentations

Student presentations on Health and Human Rights, Climate Change and Globalization, Innovation and Design, and Care and Community were top-notch, with community members and faculty serving as Respondents and Moderators.

The Global Engagement Conference is UW Tacoma's regional showcase of student research and experiential learning in global topics.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE STORIES AND PHOTOS

Panel Panel Posters
BAMFORD FELLOW IN GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT

Whitney Lopez, “Taxation Policies, Human Rights, & Gender Inequality: Connections Between Brazil & The United States” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Margaret Griesse		 HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Alex Evans, “Barriers to Healthcare for Transgender People In The USA, Brazil, and South Africa” 

Alison Barlow, “Market Women in Ghana and Their Healthcare Barriers and Gendered Experiences” 

Mia Escobar, “HIV in the Asia Pacific Region: Key Populations and Interventions” , Faculty Advisers: Dr. Anna Groat Carmona, Dr. Yajun An, and Su Miao Lai

Quinton R. Perry Sr., “Playing the Long Game: Examining the Long-term Effects of Food Insecurity on Adult Mental Health from Global to Local” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Christine Stevens

Jereme Hawkins, “Migration Trends out of Africa Through the Lens of African Migrants” 

Synth Zuber-Fantulin, “Why Everyone Should Practice Citizen Diplomacy” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Ben Meiches

Hailey Sato, “Ethics and Policy at the Frontier of Novel Biology” 		 DIGITAL POSTERS

Anuvir Dhaliwal, “Bringing Design Thinking to Action” 

Oliveira, “Ecuador's Government Criminal Corporate Hydra Security Energy and Environmental Crisis” 

Lazaro, “Cultural Memory Feminist Archives and Future of Josei Manga” 

McGoogan, “Design Thinking and Problem Solving for Business Risks” 

Jackson, “Empathy and the Non Linearity of the Design Thinking Process” 

Esters, “IIGE Study Abroad” 

Vashchenko, “European Summer School” 

Silva, “Exploring the Healthcare System in Tarija Bolivia” 

Mendoza, “Gentrification Through the Lens of CPR” 

Wong, “Hong Kong College Students’ Lay Beliefs About Flourishing” 

Bedoya Alvarez et al., “How Design Thinking Can Increase Student Engagement with GEC” 

Cheung, “How Prototyping Emboldens Design Thinking” 

Ennis, “IIGE GID Internships Takeaway” 

Challinor, “Implications of the Third Agricultural for the Fourth” 

Zamora, “Observing Health Education and Preventive Care Practices in Tarija Bolivia” 

Challinor, “Study Abroad Environmental Restoration in Aotearoa” 

Mustefa, “The Journey Through the Design Process” 

Warner, “Women's Paid Work in Pakistan” 
CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBALIZATION

Malaya Jove, “Key Environmental Justice Considerations for Nature-based Solutions” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Anne Taufen

Jennifer Huynh, “Pierce Conservation District Wildfire Preparedness” 

Ashley Eikelman, “Disney International Parks: Glocalizing Mickey and the Local Market” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Ji-Hyun Ahn		 INNOVATION AND DESIGN

Julian Rangel et al., “Siberian Solar Solutions” , Faculty Adviser: Zhiquan (Andy) Shu, Mark Pagano

Melissa Martinez et al., “Healthy Coping Skills Journal” 

Jian Azul et al., “Filming Tacoma” 
CARE AND COMMUNITY

David Esguerra, “Overtourism Education” 

Rebecca Leong, “The Art-Based Trauma Recovery (ABTR) Model: A Cross-Cultural Framework for Post-Trauma Healing in Japan and the United States” 

Jane Jones, “The Effects of Culture on the Perception of Parenting Styles” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Rachel Hershberg

Linda Watkins, “The Effects of Scouting on Adolescent Well-being” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Rachel Hershberg

Elena Mendoza, “Community Land Trusts Viewed From the United States Perspective: Gaining Global Lessons” 

Rayne Lyl Renney, “Value-Holding And Marginalization” , Faculty Adviser: Dr. Alif Laila Tisha		  

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