The What If...? Conference (HD)

Looking to her great grand uncle, Sarah Caldicott explains some of the thinking processes Thomas Edison used that could help us think more creatively. Part of this, is how Edison brought his teams together with a "Midnight Lunch". These lunches were informal gatherings where coworkers would learn from each other, think up new ideas, and even sing songs. Sarah Miller Caldicott is an innovation process expert. Sarah works with organizations that want to bring innovation to the center of their business practices, driving new levels of growth and relevance. A great grandniece of Thomas Edison, Sarah is a highly sought after content developer and speaker on the subjects of innovation and collaboration. Sarah offers consulting services that enable today's organizations to tap the brilliance of Thomas Edison's Five Competencies of Innovation and his Four Phases of True Collaboration. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Fast Company, and on CNBC as well as PBS. She currently writes on innovation for Forbes.com, and was named a Top 50 Innovation Tweeter in 2013 by InnovationExcellence.com.

By using things found in many kitchens, Dr. Katti creates nanoparticals on stage. An outstanding leader with sustained international acclaims for his work in biomedical sciences, Kattesh V. Katti is the first immigrant American to receive the Sate of Missouri's highest civilian honor of 'Outstanding Missourian' award from the Governor of Missouri State in recognition of his contributions in Nanomedicine and Green Nanotechnology. For his stellar scientific contributions and ground breaking inventions in chemical, green nanotechnological and nano- biomedical sciences, which have made transformative differences in cancer diagnostics and therapy, Dr. Katti has been awarded a number of international awards and citations which include: one of the '25 Most Influential Scientists In Molecular Imaging in the World' award by RT Image, the 'Father of Green Nanotechnology' citation by the Nobel Prize Winner Norman Borlaug, Gauss Professorship from the Gottingen Academy of Sciences, 'Outstanding Scientists Fellows' award and induction as a Fellow of the Academy of Science, St Louis - one of the oldest scientific academies of the world and many more. In 2013, Dr. Katti was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science with a citation "for distinguished contributions encompassing main group, transition metal and nanoscale chemistry, particularly for ground breaking discoveries enabling application of chemical concepts for biomedical applications" (SCIENCE : 30 NOVEMBER 2012, VOL 338, ISSUE 6111, PAGES 1117-1248). His unprecedented discovery of the production of tumor specific gold nanoparticles through 100% green processes have been cited as the Editor's choice in Nature, Future Medicine, in Science (AAAS), in Popular Science, by the Discovery Channel and have been highlighted in scientific/medical programs of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC, London).

Each day, decisions are made that change the course of human events. Some few of these decisions have made us an Earthbound species for far longer than we could have been. In this stimulating retrospectacle, Shane Kincaid will show how America could have made space its playground in the last decades of the twentieth century, and will muse about the fantastical worlds humans might stride upon today, had some decisions been made differently. Having completed his Religious Studies and Philosophy majors, and graduating from Westminster College this May, Shane is almost wholly unsure what he's going to do with his life, but he has a few ideas. He wants to be a writer of fiction, perhaps of some acclaim. He also wants to enact his passions, such as space exploration and human compassion, upon the world. In this befuddled context you may find his What If...? question: what if space were America's playground?

To probe humanity's greatest trait, we must first turn to the most creative of us all- the writers and musicians and children whose thoughts race too fast for their forming mouths. This What If...? ponders whether we could exhume the soul of adults who have lost the ability to create with such a reckless abandon- or if we never needed to. Sloane's entire life philosophy revolves around living bravely, often followed by some form of consequence. When not being a miscreant, she can be found playing her cello, getting far too into Charles Bukowski, or wandering woodlands.

What would happen if every collage student took a course in entrepreneurship? Would we have more business people? Would less-traditionally "business people" step into a new way of being? What are the upsides? Sara Cochran uses her own research to answer. Sara Cochran is a Higher Education PhD student in the department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Missouri where she focuses her research on entrepreneurship education. Additionally, Sara is the Proprietor of Treehouse Treasures, an online boutique offering eco-friendly baby and children's items at www.TreehouseTreasures.net. Sara holds both an M.A. in Communications and a B.A. in accounting from Drury University and previously worked as the Assistant Director of the Edward Jones Center for Entrepreneurship at Drury where she still serves as an adjunct instructor. In the Columbia community, Sara serves on the #BOOM Task Force and is involved with the Columbia Chamber of Commerce through Emerging Professionals in Columbia and the Women's Network.

Our gender boundaries also create mental boundaries. How could we mix that up? What would happen if we thought more about, and through, gender? As a kid Sam got really good at asking supremely annoying questions (like Why do we use forks?), which her parents mostly entertained. She turned this curiosity into an anthropology degree from Westminster, along with sociology and Spanish. Sam likes to travel and has lived in 3 foreign countries for extended periods, giving her the opportunity to feel enough like an outsider to examine American culture in all its weirdness. Her other interests include dollar pint night at McNally's, yoga, watching movies, and smashing the patriarchy.

Thanks to digital technology, companies and the government have an ever growing reach into our privacy and software freedoms. Free software means freedom. Stallman talks about the four essential freedoms and gives examples of how others are watching us. Democracy is in danger when the government is more invasive than the USSR. Richard Matthew Stallman is a software developer and software freedom activist. He worked at the Artificial Intelligence Lab at MIT from 1971 to 1984. He wrote the first extensible Emacs text editor there in 1976, and developed the AI technique of dependency-directed backtracking, also known as truth maintenance. In 1983 Stallman announced the project to develop the GNU operating system and has been the project's leader ever since. With that announcement he also launched the Free Software Movement. In October 1985 he started the Free Software Foundation, of which he is president as a full-time volunteer. The GNU/Linux system is used in tens or hundreds of millions of computers. However, the distributors of these systems often disregard the ideas of freedom which make free software important, and even include nonfree software in those systems. That is why, since the mid-1990s, Stallman has spent most of his time in political advocacy for free software, and spreading the ethical ideas of the movement, as well as campaigning against both software patents and dangerous extension of copyright laws. Stallman pioneered the concept of copyleft, and is the main author of the GNU General Public License, the most widely used free software license, which implements copyleft.

Nancy loves learning and doing things. She never stays still and throws herself into projects that she loves. Along the way, she makes many friends that bring her even more energy. She loves people, a trait that has helped her develop great relationships with the students and families she works with. When she's not working on projects, she's probably doing crossfit or cuddling with her chihuahua. Nancy is the founder of The Mosaic School in Charlotte, NC. After six years of teaching in public and private schools, she decided to take time off teaching to learn everything she could about alternative schools. She thought about going to grad school, but figured she'd learn more starting her own school. It took her a year to create TMS, which now serves 15 children and provides Nancy with the most incredible hands-on learning that she could have ever asked for!

What if using current genetic technology, scientists created Pokemon? Is it ethical? Does the science exist/ could the science ever exist? Would the complete integration of animals into our technology and daily lives (transport etc.) result in a semi-pastoral society? This presentation goes into these questions and deepens their real world meaning. Sarah Grant spends her time in school, learning what she can about our world, playing bassoon, listening to music (obsessing over The Beatles), watching doctor who and adventure time and playing Pokemon.

Ayush Manandhar is a student at Westminster College, MO currently majoring in Transnational Studies and Economics. In 2013, he interned at Winrock International, assisting the disadvantaged in Nepal to increase economic opportunities. He also worked as a teacher for the University of Cambridge Young Learner's English at DAV Sushil Kedia School in Nepal. He was a High School Prefect and a Student Council Representative as well. He has received numerous awards for his academic records, and all round performances. He aims to inspire and motivate more people and make changes in Nepal as a social entrepreneur.

Does your language shape your thought? Michael brings a new perspective to research on linguistic cognitive barriers. Michael Applegate helps others get their voice heard. Whether it be collective action problems or cognitive differences, Michael is there, lending her hands.

Through a reading, Justin and Michael explore a witty scenario. Justin A. Cave was born in Kansas City, were he resides to this day sans a near decade stint in Fulton, Missouri. Some of that has been enjoyable, some less enjoyable. In either instance, he is here to talk to y'all about some of what he thinks. But he can't do it openly, for fear of being too gauche. So here's his roundabout way of getting to his point. Bare with us.

Our brains and bodies change in response to the environment, which, in turn, is changed by us. Medicine attempts to manipulate our brains and bodies in very specific ways, usually over a short period of time; thus, it's often necessary to keep taking pills over a lifetime to sustain physiological changes which protect against degenerative or chronic diseases and disorders. If both medications and the environment make physiological and neurological changes in us, could it be possible to design the environment to both engender and habituate attributes and behaviors in ourselves in order to prevent, or even reverse, diseases and disorders? Josh likes figuring out how to heal people in effective and holistic ways. Specifically, his research focuses on the ways in which the built environment can be dynamically configured to function as medicine. He's explored these concepts in various neuroscience laboratories, including the Mayo Clinic and Yale School of Medicine, as well as architecture firms, including Philippe Rahm Architectes and Estudio Teddy Cruz Architects. His educational goal is to pursue a Master of Architecture and PhD in neuroscience, to eventually become an architectural pharmacologist.

What originally started as a forum for women who were active and passionate about technology and it's powers to change our lives, and the world, quickly became so much more. Since December 2011, NYTechWomen has been changing the environment for women in NYC, but it quickly became incredibly clear that the environment needed to change for women outside of NYC as well. For many mid-career women, technical literacy is not a given, but great minds are. What if city-based resources were taken to rural areas? Would women find a new self they never new existed? Would women open new doors they never thought possible? Would women transform from consumers to creators? Jenn Shaw is Founder of NYTechWomen and Bella Minds and former Senior Data Analyst for comScore. Jennifer hales from rural Nebraska, and uses her All-American roots as fuel for empowering people to leverage technology and improve the state of STEM education and workforces in the US. Ms. Shaw quickly established NYTechWomen as the authority for women in tech in the NYC area. With Bella Minds, she is leading the way to educating rural areas of the US and tackling the urgent need of increased participation and attainment rates. Jennifer is a recognized innovator by several NYC-based ventures, and has spoken at TEDxHobokenWomen. Her mission remains focused in mentoring opportunities and empowering women who are serious about the technology sector.

Organisms are complex living organisms made up of people. By re-aligning that reality, we can unlock our hidden potential. Collin empowers people to become entrepreneurs which will fundamentally change the world. Optimistic about the internet and the networks we're creating.

Alex Altomare is alumnus of Rockhurst High School and Loyola Marymount University, with degrees in Biology and Physics. Altomare is a certified ski instructor, lover of the Kansas City Zoo, and an avid member of the Kansas City YoYo and Juggling Clubs. During his free time, Altomare enjoys investing, mentoring, and starting businesses. Most recently, he co-founded BetaBlox, a business incubator which has acquired equity in more than 70 private companies.

When Audrey isn't trying to change the way publishers and commenters engage online, she can be found curating content and sparkles @MeddleIt. With a background in e-commerce and fundraising; Audrey has served on the Advisory Board for Catholic Charities Los Angeles and as an Emerging Leader for United Way of Greater Los Angeles. She currently serves as a development and marketing liaison for UrbanTxT taking back the streets of South LA through technology. Audrey is passionate about building connected communities and can often be found urban exploring downtown LA.

The life you have doesn't mean it's the life you've been given. Sometimes we can make the biggest impact on the world by starting with our family. What if we were all family generation changers defines generation changers and suggests steps that you can to take to set the stage for those who come after you. I am the Advisor in the Student Success Center at Missouri S&T where I graduated with my BS and MS in Technical Communication. I'm an avid reader, a lifelong learner and a fitness lover. I am the creator of Remarkable180 that encourages people to stop existing and start living by making changes in their life. During my free time, I love hanging out with my husband Fred.

What if we had superpowers? defines what a feasible superpower is, how a superpower could be applied practically, and what 'superpowers' would mean for our species. Combining a look into the physics of comic books and real world applications of super powers, What if we had superpowers? is a hopeful vision of a better future. Johnly Cummings gathers new books for his comic book collection as he spreads his free time between the internet, Xbox, and reading. Otherwise, Johnly studies biology and education as an undergraduate student at Westminster College. Snowboarding at every opportunity he can, Johnly also utilizes his skills as an Eagle Scout to camp outdoors.

Some of the most celebrated dystopian novels of the twentieth century toyed with the idea of a post-literary world in which books, and institutions of learning, were censored or outlawed entirely. Perhaps one of the greatest humanitarian achievements of the twentieth century was the explosion in worldwide literacy rates, yet non-literary activities occupy a far greater percentage of our free time. Why should we treat those dystopian novels as more than mere thought experiments? How did literature come to be outlawed in those dystopian worlds? Why is it important that we as individuals and as a culture push back? Andrew's academic interests span from biology to Spanish literature to philosophy. If he is not absorbed in a class-related text book, you will probably find him talking about coffee and lattes - if you can find him. He may be making a latte instead of talking about one. Otherwise he is probably lost on a mountain bike trail, writing poetry or short stories, exercising, engaging in philosophical discourse, or wearing some other hat. He also invests himself in social and health care justice, medical ethics, sustainability, playing his trumpet, neuroscience, origami art, and making sure that everyone in the room is smiling. He will graduate from Westminster College in Fulton, MO this May.

Can young students provide unique perspective into education? This group thinks so. Kids have to live in what adults create, but we can change that by asking the right questions. (And, by including everyone in the decision-making process.) From the Columbia MO public schools, this group participates in Future Problem Solvers International and has been working with What If...? for a year. In 02013, they put on their own micro-conference in Indiana at the FPSI gathering.

How can hip-hop change lives? Starting with a rap, Noah Lennon answers. Noah Lennon likes the hip-hop and spoken word.

Could strategically placing classrooms outside help resolve long-standing conflicts in liberal societies? In this presentation, explore the philosophical aspects of architecture and how classrooms are uniquely poised to take advantage of the relations created by liberal society! Christopher spends most of his time laughing in the face of life's Absurdity. When he can't do that, he'd rather drink coffee, ride his bike, or dramatically increase his dopamine levels.

The world may be more peaceful than it has ever been, but it is still full of existential dangers, from nuclear warfare to climate change to antibiotic-resistant plagues. In the sorry event of catastrophe, how can a small midwestern liberal arts college cope? Will it vanish, crumble, survive, or even thrive? And how can we change our college so that it is better able to handle such events? In a scary but (hopefully) thought-provoking talk, Shane Kincaid will ask the question, what if Westminster College suddenly had to fend for itself? Shane may not have all the answers, but he makes it his business to be interested in everything. A Philosophy and Religious Studies major here at Westminster, Shane enjoys reading, drawing, thinking, having intellectual discussions with friends, working on his classic car, and otherwise letting out his creative mojo. Of chief concern to Shane is that the human species have a better lot in life, and most everything he does is at least obliquely geared toward that end.

To ask the question: What If Time Moved In A Circle? is to be incredibly deceptive. The idea of time - in pop culture - operating cyclically normally means that a series of events will continue. This thinks in too small of a scale; what if... the lifespan of the whole universe was a circle? How would this affect one's life? What would it mean for you - which means what will you make it mean for you - to live every moment an infinite number of times? Tyler Haulotte is the spritely young man in charge of Philosophers' Corner you are likely to hear from across the hall talking about Nietzsche. While he's not doing Philosophers' Corner stuff, he's working in the writing lab, coaching a school in speech & debate down in his hometown, Austin, Texas, or doing homework, he loves getting into long discussions about some philosophical issue. Tyler (obviously) studies philosophy, but is also interested in a number of other areas, including English literature, critical security studies, gender studies, and he is particularly curious about subaltern studies.

Woven through history is a contest between two forms of society: networks, and institutions. For the first 95% of human history, all human societies were structured in informal networks, held together by social ties of reciprocity and reputation. With the end of the paleolithic period 10,000 years ago, human societies became more complex, and institutions began to rise. Over the course of the next millennia, they gradually gained the upper hand, until today almost all societies are governed by hierarchical institutions, be they government or corporations. Over the past few decades we have seen a resurgence of networks as a means of social organization, driven largely by non-institutional forms of communication (read: cell phones and the Internet.) This talk explores what this means, and what this could mean, for where we go next. If Bjorn's life had a tagline, it would likely be Blessed Unrest. Originally from Oregon, he migrated East to get his undergraduate degree at Yale, where he studied economic history and anarchy. After graduation he moved South to DC, where his day job is working on international development. The rest of his time goes to launching social impact ventures, doing his best to think radically about better versions of society, and building a tribe of idealists out to make a ruckus. Stuff from his head gets posted on somethingbjornsaid.com.

As a way to avoid collateral damage, minimize environmental impact, glorify human capacities besides violence, and, yes, boost the ratings of sports channels, I propose that we replace wars with the Olympics. What would it take? What would it look like? Is it already happening? Knowing nothing about either warfare or sports, I have no answers to offer. What I would like to do is ask a number of questions, to kick off a conversation that may, one day, lead to a better world. A career student, Dr Phelps has a BS in Business Administration, an MS and a PhD in Operations Research, and an MBA with a Management Information Systems (MIS) specialization. She dreams of returning to school one day to pursue a Master of Fine Arts in script writing, and makes do until then by teaching many subjects that did not exist when she was in school, and insisting that no MIS thesis student will graduate until s/he has taught Dr. Phelps a number of significant things she would not know otherwise.

There are few words in American social and political culture that carry as heavy a stigma as communism and socialism. This is true now, and was especially true during an ideological era known as the Second Red Scare, or McCarthyism, bearing the namesake of Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. What if the panic, finger-pointing, propaganda, and witch-hunting associated with this movement were absent from history? Would things be different? If they were, would they be better? Worse? Neutral? Jefferson Spears will attempt to cast aside the dogma and take a look at the ramifications, particularly in the American political and intellectual spheres, of the question: What if McCarthyism and the Red Scare hadn't happened? Jefferson is an arguer. If he has nothing better to do, he will argue with you about any topic, ranging from political debate to musical tastes to whether or not you know anything. When he isn't arguing, he spreads his time between the Internet, writing poetry, doing nerd activities, pondering the inherent dichotomy in being a Southern-born Communist, wondering why the FBI considers him to be a gang member, or generally doing nothing in particular. Don't take anything he says personally unless there is no room for interpretation. He probably doesn't care that you're offended, but he probably didn't mean to offend you either.

As technology progresses, intrusions of privacy by governments, corporations and private persons and groups have become common place and insidious. This is a discussion about the erosion of our privacy. Dr. Tobias T. Gibson is associate professor of political science, lives in Fulton, is a proud Hoosier and is a social wallflower who blends.

Historically, religion has been a tremendous force for good, and a terrible impetus for evil. Religion is a world-wide phenomenon that has stimulated good, healthy, moral behavior. And it is simultaneously a world-wide phenomenon that has promoted evil, unhealthy, immoral behavior. On balance, and ultimately, has religion been a \good"thing or a \""bad\"" thing? Would the world have been better-off without religion? Or would the world have been worse-off without religion? What if there had been no religion?""" Cliff Cain cannot decide whether he is a resident of Jerusalem as a person of faith or a resident of Athens as a person who thinks. So, he has dual citizenship and carries a passport that allows movement between the two areas. A university basketball player as a student, he was also an NCAA coach of the year when he was starting his professorial career. He also played in a symphony and a rock group to work his way through grad. school, but it was so long ago that he cannot remember whether he played first chair, second chair, or just set-up chairs. He still enjoys playing the trombone as a member of the Westminster College Pep Band. He is currently Harrod-C.S. Lewis Professor of Religious Studies at WC and went a long time to school to receive a doctorate in religion and a doctorate in science because of his intention of delaying getting a real job for as long as possible.

We all exist in and interact with the same universe. This universe is constant and does not change from one individual to the next; yet, despite this fact, there is always disagreement amongst its inhabitants as to what the nature of reality is. There are things to know of this world, but we as humans are not really very good at knowing them. If we are to place a high value on truth and the degree to which or beliefs track it, as I believe we should, then we must fight the urge to assume that we have already found truth. We must ask ourselves What if I'm wrong?. Future man will likely divide time into two eras, before the time of Ethan Porter and after (BEP and AEP, respectively). When he is not making ridiculously hubristic statements he can be found making other ridiculous claims, usually, but not always (sometimes for fun), designed to get his interlocutors to stop, think, and justify their position. These question topics include, but are not limited to, philosophy (of mind, meta-ethics, ethics), science (genetics, evolution, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience), politics (as a Libertarian he must defend attacks by both fronts), religion, and anything else that sounds interesting or could be made to sound interesting. When he is not arguing with others (he prefers the term "discussing") he spends his time weight lifting (he is particularly enthralled with Crossfit at the time), reading, t'workin noobs on Halo, and enjoying a well balanced beer.

When you look at someone you've never spoken to, you make assumptions based on their appearance. You generalize how that individual may act according to how you've seen people with similar characteristics act in the past. You categorize people as athletes, nerds, Goths, potheads and hipsters; to name a few. For example, a part of you could be surprised to find out that a football star achieved a 4.0 gpa. This presentation touches on the influences of evolution, culture and experience to get you to judge people based on the content of their character by taking off your big, ugly glasses of perception. Nathan is currently a student at Westminster College.

What makes a poet? The definition is broad, no argument, but there are certain characteristics that are found in all poets. What are these characteristics and what would it mean for the world if everyone were to adopt them? What would happen if everyone seized the creative capacity instilled within each of us? What if we were all poets? Caroline has no idea what she wants to be when she grows up, but thinks the following sound super cool: professional trivial pursuit player, This American Life reporter, writer, gypsy, sex educator, political activist, professional feminist, curator of cool, tea connoisseur, Stephen Fry. Until she finds a way to unite them all, wearing the label storyteller will have to do. Caroline will graduate from Westminster College in May after studying English and political science.

A quick Google search of the question "What if Women were in charge?" renders many funny pictures of pink Swiss army knives complete with tubes of lipstick and automobile consoles adorned with cosmetic products. In many respects it seems that people find the prospect of women in charge more of a superficial joke than a reality. By examining how public policy might be different if women called the shots. I challenge audience members to not only imagine a world led by women but also to see it as a positive and welcome possibility. Cinnamon Brown is an Assistant Professor of History at Westminster College. She received her B.S. from the University of West Alabama and her Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee. Although her research focuses on territorial New Orleans, she loves to teach classes in a variety of areas such as women and African Americans. Her interests in these subjects have inspired some of her favorite courses including Scandalous Women in American History and American Slavery. When not at westminster, Cinnamon loves to spend time with her husband Mark and their two cats LBJ and Josephine. She also loves reading, jogging, and fighting for women's causes.

The ecosystems we see around us used to be filled with species such as lions, elephants, cheetahs, and camels. These were all normal residents of North America at one time. To scientists, they are referred to as extant, meaning that they did not die out completely, extinct, they only died out in a specific area. What if we could restore these extant animals to where they once lived? Is it a good idea and how would that change our relationship with nature? Josh Kling is a budding naturalist who is passionate about life. More specifically, he is passionate about lifeforms. His passion drives him to try to find strange and remarkable things no one else has seen before. He is a future researcher who dreams of pushing our understanding of the natural world and enhancing our awe of it. Future accomplishments include: the reintroduction of extant large animal species to North America and the discovery of life on another planet.

Find out what the Conference is and stay tuned for videos from the Conference. Find out more about our project at www.TheWhatIfConference.com