Prof. Martino DiezOur January speaker, Prof. Martino Diez, will offer a workshop for Notre Dame graduate students following his talk from the evening before: "Between Late Antiquity and Mamluk Historians: al-Makīn Ibn al-ʿAmīd and his Universal History." The invitation, with RSVP link, and any seminar readings will go out by email. Please respond by the end of the day Tuesday, January 21, to reserve your spot. Originally published at medieval.nd.edu.

Register here Anna Moreland is the chair and director of the Villanova University Honors Program and Thomas W. Smith is dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at The Catholic University of America. Moreland and Smith will discuss their recent book, The Young Adult Playbook: Living Like It Matters and their work in education for flourishing among undergraduates. We hope you will join the Institute for Social Concerns each month for the Virtues & Vocations lunchtime webinar series, Conversations on Character & the Common Good. There is always time for audience questions. Virtues & Vocations is a national forum for scholars and practitioners across disciplines to consider how best to cultivate character in pre-professional and professional education. Virtues & Vocations hosts faculty workshops, an annual conference, and monthly webinars, and engages issues of character, professional identity, and moral purpose through our publications.

This workshop steps into the nuanced world of AI prompt engineering, focusing on how carefully constructed prompts can mitigate biases inherent in large language models. Participants will use an AI image generator to better understand their own biases in the process of prompt engineering and learn a step-by-step approach to building prompts that promote fairness and inclusivity. Facilitated by: Roberto Cásarez, Academic Technology and AI Literacy SpecialistFormat: Discussion and Hands-On ActivitiesAudience: Faculty, staff, students Session Objectives:Recognize the concept of user bias in AI systems and its potential impact on generated content Identify biases in AI-generated content, including ageism, sexism, classism, and racial biases Learn scaffolded prompt construction as a systematic approach to bias mitigation Engage in collaborative discussions to share insights, challenges, and potential solutions related to bias in AI-generated contentPart of the Tech for Good series being presented during Walk the Walk Week by Teaching and Learning Technologies (Office of Information Technology), the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (Hesburgh Libraries), Notre Dame Learning, and the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights Originally published at learning.nd.edu.

“Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign, but stories can also be used to empower and to humanize. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity.”—Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie In the heart of Texas, where its vast southern expanse meets the rugged terrain of Mexico, lies a border in El Paso, Texas, and Cd. Juarez, Mexico, that has long served as a focal point of human migration, hope, and hardship. It’s a region where countless stories unfold daily—stories of human courage, desperation, and resilience. Yet, for those who have never walked its dusty paths or felt the weight of uncertainty that hangs heavy in the air, the reality of life along the U.S.-Mexico border remains distant and abstract. The stories of Latin American and Mexican migrants are frequently overshadowed by political rhetoric, resulting in a one-dimensional portrayal that lacks the depth and humanity of the migrant experience. This often leads to a misunderstanding of their challenges and contributions to society. There is a critical need for innovative methods that can communicate these experiences authentically and compellingly to a broader audience. Facilitated by: Steven Varela, Director, OIT Teaching and Learning Technologies; Arlene Montevecchio, Associate Director, Klau Institute for Civil and Human RightsFormat: 1-hour Presentation/DiscussionAudience: Administrators, faculty, staff, students Session Objectives: The Virtual Borders project leverages the power of XR to serve as an inclusive technology that can transform perceptions and foster deeper understandings of the complex experiences faced by Latin American and Mexican migrants as well as border culture. Through this discussion, we aim to educate, engage, create empathy, and inspire diverse audiences, making a substantial impact on public discourse around migration and diversity, equity, and inclusion by:Critically assessing media and public discourse on migration, distinguishing between factual information and misinformation Recognizing the role of dignity by analyzing migration stories and reflecting on human dignity in the context of global migration issues.Part of the Tech for Good series being presented during Walk the Walk Week by Teaching and Learning Technologies (Office of Information Technology), the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (Hesburgh Libraries), Notre Dame Learning, and the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights Originally published at learning.nd.edu.

It’s been a little over 60 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech, but the messages from that speech resonate today. “MLK: Now is the Time” is an immersive journey that explores key themes of Dr. King’s speech and highlights systemic inequities that persist in our society. Through first-person stories and interactions, “MLK: Now is the Time” drops a participant into a thoroughly modern interpretation of a contemporary March on Washington. This immersive session leverages the power of extended reality (XR) to provide a unique and impactful learning experience. Facilitated by: Horane Diatta-Holgate, Program Director of Inclusive Pedagogy, Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence; XR Collective Format: Discussion/Workshop10:00–11:30 a.m. (in VR headsets for registrants); 12:00–1:00 p.m. (Lunch/discussion); 1:00–3:00 p.m. (in VR headsets for registrants)Audience: Administrators, faculty, staff, students Session Objectives: Through XR simulations and discussion, our objectives for the workshop/discussion include:Empathetic Understanding: Participants will step into the shoes of individuals from various backgrounds, gaining insight into the challenges they face.Interactive Scenarios: Participants will engage in real-life scenarios, facilitated by XR, to make decisions and/or navigate situations to learn DEI principles.Safe Space for Dialogue: Participants will have opportunities for open discussions, sharing experiences, and learning from one another in a supportive environment.Practical Tools for Inclusion: Receive guidance on implementing inclusive practices in both personal and professional spheres, leveraging XR as a tool for positive change.Part of the Tech for Good series being presented during Walk the Walk Week by Teaching and Learning Technologies (Office of Information Technology), the Navari Family Center for Digital Scholarship (Hesburgh Libraries), Notre Dame Learning, and the Klau Institute for Civil and Human Rights Originally published at learning.nd.edu.

Register here Nathan Hatch served as the president of Wake Forest University for 16 years and previously served as provost at the University of Notre Dame. He recently published The Gift of Transformative Leaders(link is external). We will discuss this book and his lifelong commitment to making character central in higher education. We hope you will join the Institute for Social Concerns each month for the Virtues & Vocations lunchtime webinar series, Conversations on Character & the Common Good. There is always time for audience questions. Virtues & Vocations is a national forum for scholars and practitioners across disciplines to consider how best to cultivate character in pre-professional and professional education. Virtues & Vocations hosts faculty workshops, an annual conference, and monthly webinars, and engages issues of character, professional identity, and moral purpose through our publications.

Join the Medieval Institute as we host a special celebration of the 65th year of collaboration with the Ambrosiana Library of Milan, Italy. Our first event is an evening lecture with Reverend Canon Doctor Federico Gallo . More details will be added closer to the lecture. About our Speaker Rev. Can. Dr. Gallo, of the Archdiocese of Milan, studied Classics at the Università Cattolica del S. Cuore di Milano. He went on to serve in the Vatican Secret Archives, working in Latin and Greek Paleography, Diplomatics, and Archival Studies, and in the Archivio Storico Diocesano di Milano. Since 2008 he has been a Doctor of the Ambrosiana Library, where he is director and a faculty member. There, he organizes conferences, publications, and research and is responsible for the daily life of the Library and its readers. His publications focus on the history of libraries, manuscripts, ancient collections in libraries and archives, and the history of the Ambrosiana Library. He is also an adjunct faculty member at the State Archive of Milan and the State University of Milan. He is a regular visitor and lecturer here at the Medieval Institute. Originally published at medieval.nd.edu.

If you Teach@ND, this event is for you! Notre Dame Learning’s Kaneb Center for Teaching Excellence is setting aside February 21 to celebrate and support the excellent teaching that happens on our campus. We will have events, giveaways, and more meant to recognize the immense value of your work and your connections with students. Please register by February 3. Lightning Talks Session 9:00–10:30 a.m. Notre Dame faculty who have participated in the Kaneb Center Course Design Academy, Notre Dame Inclusive Teaching Academy, and the Foundational Course Transformation Academy will share informal, three-minute lightning talks about exciting aspects of their own teaching. Come grab a cup of coffee and learn more about some of the great teaching going on right here on our campus. Keynote: “A Pedagogy of Kindness” 10:30–11:45 a.m.Speaker: Cate Denial, Knox College What does it mean to practice a Pedagogy of Kindness? This presentation will explore three tenets of compassionate teaching: justice, believing students, and believing in students. We’ll reflect together on what kindness (and its lack) has meant to us within academia, and how we can—piece by piece—assemble a kind approach to pedagogy that meets the needs of our students and ourselves in a time of great change. Lunch for Teach@ND Day Attendees 12:00–1:30 p.m. Take the time to connect with colleagues and join us for lunch!  Originally published at learning.nd.edu.

The Ambrosiana Library in MilanJoin the Medieval Institute as we host a special celebration of the 65th year of collaboration with the Ambrosiana Library of Milan, Italy. Today, we will host a series of roundtables and talks. More details will be added closer to the event. Originally published at medieval.nd.edu.

Learn more and register here Signs of the Times: Interdisciplinary Responses to Religious Nationalism March 20-22, 2025   This 2025 CST conference will remember the 60th anniversary of two significant Vatican II texts, Gaudium et spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World) and Dignitatis humanae (Declaration on Religious Freedom). Released on the final day of Vatican II, these texts together invited serious consideration of the role of the church and other religious communities in relation to the state. This year’s CST conference takes up Vatican II’s invitation to discern “the signs of the times” and to attend to the roles of church and state within civil society with a view toward the common good. These central CST themes warrant further exploration as Christian and other forms of religious nationalism represent a significant sign of the current time in particular national and international contexts. This interdisciplinary conference invites historical, constructive, and comparative approaches as we consider the ecumenical, interfaith, and transdisciplinary challenges of religious nationalism. For example, what is the history of Christian nationalism in the United States and how is it related to similar movements in other parts of the world? What are the scriptural and theological resources available to analyze these expressions of Christian and national identity? To what degree and under what forms are the academy and the Christian churches complicit with the history and recent expressions of white Christian nationalism? What are the possible connections between the reemergence of various forms of religious nationalism with economic changes, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation? How has the rise of these political ideologies been facilitated by changes in laws and institutional structures? What are the implications of Christian and other forms of religious nationalism for the relationship of religious bodies and the state in civil society? What are the pedagogical challenges across the disciplines in addressing the significance of Christian and religious nationalism? Normatively, what options for constructive engagement and responses emerge from our shared consideration of these questions?

Learn more and register here 2025 Catholic Social Tradition Conference Signs of the Times: Interdisciplinary Responses to Religious Nationalism March 20-22, 2025 This 2025 CST conference will remember the 60th anniversary of two significant Vatican II texts, Gaudium et spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World) and Dignitatis humanae (Declaration on Religious Freedom). Released on the final day of Vatican II, these texts together invited serious consideration of the role of the church and other religious communities in relation to the state. This year’s CST conference takes up Vatican II’s invitation to discern “the signs of the times” and to attend to the roles of church and state within civil society with a view toward the common good. These central CST themes warrant further exploration as Christian and other forms of religious nationalism represent a significant sign of the current time in particular national and international contexts. This interdisciplinary conference invites historical, constructive, and comparative approaches as we consider the ecumenical, interfaith, and transdisciplinary challenges of religious nationalism. For example, what is the history of Christian nationalism in the United States and how is it related to similar movements in other parts of the world? What are the scriptural and theological resources available to analyze these expressions of Christian and national identity? To what degree and under what forms are the academy and the Christian churches complicit with the history and recent expressions of white Christian nationalism? What are the possible connections between the reemergence of various forms of religious nationalism with economic changes, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation? How has the rise of these political ideologies been facilitated by changes in laws and institutional structures? What are the implications of Christian and other forms of religious nationalism for the relationship of religious bodies and the state in civil society? What are the pedagogical challenges across the disciplines in addressing the significance of Christian and religious nationalism? Normatively, what options for constructive engagement and responses emerge from our shared consideration of these questions?

Learn more and register here 2025 Catholic Social Tradition Conference Signs of the Times: Interdisciplinary Responses to Religious Nationalism March 20-22, 2025 This 2025 CST conference will remember the 60th anniversary of two significant Vatican II texts, Gaudium et spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World) and Dignitatis humanae (Declaration on Religious Freedom). Released on the final day of Vatican II, these texts together invited serious consideration of the role of the church and other religious communities in relation to the state. This year’s CST conference takes up Vatican II’s invitation to discern “the signs of the times” and to attend to the roles of church and state within civil society with a view toward the common good. These central CST themes warrant further exploration as Christian and other forms of religious nationalism represent a significant sign of the current time in particular national and international contexts. This interdisciplinary conference invites historical, constructive, and comparative approaches as we consider the ecumenical, interfaith, and transdisciplinary challenges of religious nationalism. For example, what is the history of Christian nationalism in the United States and how is it related to similar movements in other parts of the world? What are the scriptural and theological resources available to analyze these expressions of Christian and national identity? To what degree and under what forms are the academy and the Christian churches complicit with the history and recent expressions of white Christian nationalism? What are the possible connections between the reemergence of various forms of religious nationalism with economic changes, poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation? How has the rise of these political ideologies been facilitated by changes in laws and institutional structures? What are the implications of Christian and other forms of religious nationalism for the relationship of religious bodies and the state in civil society? What are the pedagogical challenges across the disciplines in addressing the significance of Christian and religious nationalism? Normatively, what options for constructive engagement and responses emerge from our shared consideration of these questions?

Register here Deondra Rose is associate professor of public policy, political science, and history at Duke University. We will discuss Rose’s recent book The Power of Black Excellence: HBCUs and the Fight for American Democracy, and lessons we can learn from HBCUs about cultivating character for the common good. There will be time for audience questions. Virtues & Vocations is a national forum for scholars and practitioners across disciplines to consider how best to cultivate character in pre-professional and professional education. Virtues & Vocations hosts faculty workshops, an annual conference, and monthly webinars, and engages issues of character, professional identity, and moral purpose through our publications. virtuesvocations.org