Big Challenge
Each academic year the DCII selects an annual theme connected to a major challenge facing humanity, and organizes events and other programming throughout the year that highlight the interdisciplinary nature of potential solutions to this challenge.
The Big Challenge theme for 2026-27 is Feeding Humanity.
September 16th: How to Stop Hunger and Starvation
Dr. Michael Fakhri, Professor at the University of Oregon School of Law and the Director of the Food Sovereignty Project at the University of Oregon, will draw on his experience as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food from 2020 to 2026. He will share his expertise on what can be done to solve food security and stability issues around the world.
Information and registration can be found here.
October 15th: Allman Lecture with Pamela Ronald
Dr. Pamela Ronald is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and the Genome Center at the University of California, Davis. She is recognized for her research on plant genes controlling disease resistance and stress tolerance, with a focus on climate-resilient agriculture and global food security.