The University of Iowa Obermann Center for Advanced Studies will hold a working symposium, Health Humanities: Building the Future of Research and Teaching, Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, as part of a yearlong series, Designing the Future.

All symposium events are free and open to the public, and will be held at the College of Public Health on the University of Iowa campus. Advance registration is required and closes Wednesday, April 2.

The symposium will welcome six keynote speakers, including the editors of two forthcoming health humanities anthologies, Paul Crawford and Tess Jones. From music therapy to finding well-being through the written word, organizers hope the two-day series of events will allow attendees to build bridges that strengthen connections among the humanities, arts, and health campuses at the UI.

The symposium was organized by Obermann Center Director Teresa Mangum and Obermann Postdoctorate Fellow Andrea Charise. It is co-sponsored by the Colleges of Public Health, Dentistry, Education, Engineering, and Nursing, as well as the Graduate College.

Other sponsors include the Division of World Languages, Literatures and Cultures; the School of Journalism and Mass Communication; and the Departments of Classics, Communication studies, English, and Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

The symposium was also made possible by Hancher; the International Writing Program; the Writers’ Workshop; the Program in Bioethics and Humanities; and Project Art at the UI Hospitals and Clinics.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, contact Erin Hackathorn at the UI Obermann Center for Advanced Studies in advance at erin-hackathorn@uiowa.edu or 319-335-4034.