Theme: Purpose and Potential

Ideas will explore the interconnectedness of purpose and potential. What is purpose without potential? What is potential when lacking a purpose. Our speakers and artists changing the world through a combination of both.

Ford Center for the Performing Arts
351 University Address
University, Mississippi, 38677
United States

Eden Tanner

Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi

Dr. Eden E. L. Tanner, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Mississippi. After completing her undergraduate degree in Advanced Science (Chemistry) at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia, Dr. Tanner earned her doctorate in Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at the University of Oxford with Prof Richard G. Compton, then moved to Harvard University in 2017 as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with Samir Mitragotri. The Tanner Lab works at the interface of Chemistry and Bioengineering with a focus on solving problems in nanoparticle drug delivery.

Hannah Allen

Executive Director of William Magee Institute for Student Well-being and Assistant Professor of Public Health

Hannah Allen, PhD, the Executive Director of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing and an Assistant Professor of Public Health at the University of Mississippi. Dr. Allen’s research is dedicated to better understanding how mental health and substance use impact achievement among adolescents and young adults. Her talk will explore shifts toward sober curious behaviors among college students.

Harrison Lee

Assistant Professor of Philosophy & Religion

Harrison Lee, PhD, a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Mississippi. He completed his PhD in 2024 at Baylor University. Lee’s research focuses on normative and applied ethics with an emphasis on biomedical ethics. His talk will explore the ethics of a new and controversial method of organ donation.

Kylie Wright

CEO & Founder of Moose Medical, LLC

Kylie Wright, CEO & Founder of Moose Medical, LLC, University of Mississippi alum, and current graduate student at Baylor College of Medicine. She is a resident in orthotics and prosthetics at Shriner's Children's Hospital in Spokane, Washington. Kylie will share the story of her calling to make life easier one limb at a time.

Muftiat Oyindamola Adeyi

Graduate Instructor and Writing Consultant at the University of Mississippi

Muftiat Oyindamola Adeyi, Doctoral candidate in the English at the University of Mississippi, Graduate Instructor, and Writing Consultant. Muftiat’s work emphasizes the nuanced narratives of womanhood within African and African Diasporic texts, bringing visibility to Africana voices in global literature. Inspired by her research, her TEDx talk will challenge perceptions of accent and language as measures of intelligence, promoting the acceptance of linguistic diversity and cultural expression through linguistic plurality.

Shonna Tillman

Public Policy Expert

Shonna Tillman, PhD, is a dedicated academic and public policy expert with a strong background in rural government, community and economic development, and women's representation in political positions. She holds a PhD in Public Policy and Administration from Mississippi State University; Shonna's research focuses on the intersection of race, gender, and politics, particularly the motivations and challenges faced by Black women in political leadership roles.