EPIIC Symposium addresses United States' world role

By 11:15 p.m. on Saturday night, it was clear the EPIIC group is a hardworking bunch.

The twentieth annual Education for Public Inquiry and International (EPIIC) Symposium drew large crowds throughout the weekend as dozens of academics debated "Dilemmas of Empire and Nationbuilding: The United States' Role in the World."

"By all accounts, things went extraordinarily well," Associate Director of the Institute for Global Leadership Heather Barry said.

Twelve panels of scholars, policy-makers, and academics debated topics drawn from the central theme, including "The Relevance of the U.N." and "U.S. Engagement in Africa."

Each session included a question and answer period where students and visitors could address panelists.

Long question sessions led to panels that stretched over three hours and pushed back subsequent talks. Rather than being annoyed, attendees saw these delays as proof of the successful dialogue that was emerging.

Senior Katherine Reynolds, who is a member of the Tufts Institute for Leadership and International Perspective praised "the dynamic between students and academics and practitioners; coming together from all walks of life to talk about serious international issues."

The conference "put together a bunch of ideas and strategies that we've been talking about all year," EPIIC participant and sophomore Anura Patil said.

The majority of panels were held in Cabot Auditorium, which has a larger capacity than Alumnae Lounge, where the event has been held the last three years.

Cabot's sloped floors allow better viewing for all audience members, Barry said.

"Now that they've redone [the auditorium] it provides an excellent forum for debate," she said.

EPIIC is already preparing for next year's symposium, which will focus on "Oil and Water," Barry said. Next year's symposium will celebrate 20 years of EPIIC.

But future plans were far from the minds of attendees last weekend. On Sunday afternoon, Director of the Institute for Global Leadership Sherman Teichman summed up the attitude of the weekend. "Are you enjoying this?" he asked. "I think it's amazing."

Turn to Page 2 for additional EPIIC coverage, with profiles of three of the weekend's events and photos.