Gatherings of the Curious
Conferences, lectures, workshops, and defenses exploring the questions that fall through the cracks of conventional inquiry.
Candidate: Maria Santos. Committee: Dr. Tanaka (Chair), Dr. Sharma, Prof. Chen. The defense examines the psychological weight of unread emails and their role in contemporary anxiety architecture.
Dr. Henrik Lindqvist, University of Peripheral Vision, presents findings on the unique phenomenology of elevator silence compared to other enclosed-space silences. Light refreshments to follow.
A hands-on workshop for graduate students conducting observational research in waiting room environments. Learn techniques for unobtrusive data collection and coding schemes for seating behavior. Lunch provided.
Dr. Constance Weatherby presents preliminary findings on how text messaging has inverted traditional punctuation hierarchies, with periods now signaling displeasure and their absence indicating friendliness.
Candidate: James Okonkwo. Committee: Dr. Oduya (Chair), Dr. Petersen, Dr. Mendez. The defense presents a year-long study of how individuals experience and characterize the day Tuesday.
Prof. Elena Reyes, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, discusses cross-cultural variations in personal space expectations and the conflicts that arise in multicultural waiting rooms.
Dr. Petersen introduces the Petersen Awkwardness Inventory (PAI) and demonstrates proper administration. Participants will practice scoring and interpreting results. Pre-registration required.
Faculty and graduate students present poster summaries of ongoing research. An opportunity to learn about work across departments and identify potential collaborations. Hors d'oeuvres served.
Dr. Michael Torres, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, explores how algorithmic queue management systems interact with human fairness intuitions, often producing unexpected dissatisfaction.
Prof. Chen and Dr. Voss present findings from their ongoing collaboration on commitment thresholds in food consumption, including new data on the 'last cookie' phenomenon.
This year's theme, 'The Moment Before the Moment,' examines the phenomenology of being on the verge. Keynote address by Prof. Marcus Chen. Registration required.
The flagship annual conference of the International Association for the Study of Overlooked Phenomena. Three days of presentations, workshops, and networking. Early registration opens February 1.
Multi-day gatherings featuring presentations from researchers worldwide, including our flagship Annual Symposium on Threshold Phenomena.
Distinguished scholars from partner institutions share their work. Open to all faculty, students, and interested community members.
Hands-on sessions for developing research skills, from ethnographic methods to validated measurement instruments.
Public presentations of dissertation research by doctoral candidates. All are welcome to attend the presentation portion.