This project began in the Fall semester with the group investigating best practices in community-building conversations around big ideas and polarizing issues. This included exploring a new ‘Core Dialogue’ model of campus conversations in CORE 101: Anchor Seminar for all UP first- year students and also alongside research on community-based programs outside of UP, such as the Oregon Humanities Conversation Project. In the Spring semester, the group used what they learned to design and pilot a conversation on campus with students, alumni, and faculty; they also created a draft toolkit to share with other individuals and institutions interested in creating space for civil conversations around issues relevant to higher education.
Andrew Guest is a Professor of Psychology, Director of the UP Core curriculum, and an interdisciplinary scholar with interests in how culture and community shape development. He has research experience with schools and activities in exotic locales ranging from suburban Portland to rural Tanzania, informing a comparative approach to thinking about education and development. His work, including the recent book “Soccer in Mind: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to the Global Game,” promotes ways a liberal arts mindset and exposure to diverse ideas can foster curiosity and community engagement.
Shazib ‘Shaz’ Vijlee is an Associate Professor of Engineering at the Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering. His disciplinary expertise is in the combustion of biofuels and energy usage in the developing world. Working at a liberal arts university transformed his thinking, and now his true interests lie in problem-solving applied to any and all contexts. Being a technologist, he sees that technology can already solve many problems, but social barriers persist. Those problems need our full attention. He was drawn to PRF to work on the interesting and ‘wicked’ problem of community engagement and polarization.
Year: Senior
Major/minor: English
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Why PRF: I’m interested in working as part of PRF because I enjoy doing research as a whole and I believe that it will provide me with a unique set of experiences by the end of the academic year.
Year: Junior
Major/Minor: Political Science and Global Affairs
Hometown: Española, New Mexico
Why PRF: We are in some very interesting times politically and in general. This year's topic "Everyday Democracy" will be super essential for the times we are living through. Working on the project will be a great way to help individuals who have hearts and souls to discuss the "touchy" subjects in a respectful manner that allows for all voices to be heard. The program will also hopefully be able to snowball into the years ahead in order to make the University of Portland a safe space for dialogue.
University of Portland
5000 N. Willamette Blvd.,
Portland, Oregon 97203-5798
503.943.8000
