Ideafest 2017: let your curiosity be your guide

“The important thing is not to stop questioning,” Albert Einstein once said. “Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”

UVic’s Ideafest provides a perfect platform for such curiosity. Six years running, the festival promises plenty of opportunities with over 40 events, both new and well established, from March 6-11.

Questions to be explored range from the topical to the timeless. “Migrating people” will reflect on the causes and cases of people moving across borders. “Sound and the sea” will go below the waves to listen to the ancient song of marine mammals and the present-day sonar and shipping traffic. “The contemplative mind: Mindfulness in higher education” at UVic’s Interfaith Chapel will present evidence that contemplative practice increases creativity, empathy and focus.

Student research continues as a major element of the festival, alongside faculty research and at big annual draws such as The Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition Finals for graduate students and the Jamie Cassels Undergraduate Research Awards (JCURA) fair. For students, these events are the culmination of hard yet gratifying work.

For psychology undergraduate honours student Sasha Goatley, one of over 100 JCURA recipients, the JCURA has given her a foretaste of graduate school: “We often see the research end product but not what it takes to get there. Our supervisors are generous with their time in walking us through all the steps.” Goatley will present her research on how smartphone use among new mothers relates to their stress levels.  

Another theme of this year’s festival is reconciliation. UVic Chancellor and Honorary Witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Shelagh Rogers will host a conversation with Indigenous artists Rande Cook and Carey Newman and UVic anthropologist Andrea Walsh. As the event title—“Reconciliation and resurgence: How Indigenous artists are re-imagining the story of Canada”—implies, the conversation will centre on how Indigenous artists use images to understand our past and determine our future. Another event, “On being here to stay, together,” will ask what we can do as individuals and communities to support the goals of reconciliation and inclusiveness. Other Indigenous-led research is featured throughout the week.

“Ideafest has become a highly anticipated week for the on-campus and broader community,” says Vice-President Research David Castle. “It’s gained importance for providing real forums for people to come together for thoughtful, critical conversations. I encourage everyone to visit the website and check out the full schedule of events.”

Browse the full program of 40+ events at uvic.ca/ideafest/. All events are free and open to the public, though some require registration. See website for details.