Texas A&M University has announced it will return to Austin for South By Southwest Conference (SXSW) during Interactive Week March 11-14 to showcase thought leadership and innovation in addressing some of the world’s most urgent challenges.
Texas A&M’s follow-up SXSW appearance to 2017’s “Texas A&M House” will feature panel discussions with internationally recognized thought leaders and immersive Texas A&M brand experience opportunities at multiple locations in the heart of downtown Austin.
Texas A&M’s participation in SXSW in 2018 will showcase faculty expertise and generate brand impressions with a global audience of 280,000 attendees in a way that solidifies the institution’s commitment to a modern, progressive future while celebrating its prestigious land-, sea-, and space-grant status, academic prominence and storied traditions. This week of panels, exhibitions and brand engagement opportunities will impart Texas A&M’s reputation for creating leaders of character and substance to the future employers of students.
Panel Sessions at the Courtyard Marriott
Texas A&M’s faculty innovators, creators and influencers will team up with some of the world’s leading voices in national affairs, next-generation technologies and public policy to explore cutting-edge solutions to issues that include human rights, artificial intelligence, health care and natural disaster mitigation.
• Human Rights Policy in a Connected World: Texas A&M President Michael K. Young, former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton and former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large Rabbi David Saperstein will dissect social, economic and diplomatic strategies that could be enhanced by the integration of digital technology. The panel will be moderated by BBC Journalist Kasia Madera.
• Future Society: AI and Generative Systems: Emmy-winning TV host Mario Armstrong and industry experts from the College of Architecture Philip Galanter, Ann McNamara and Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo will analyze how technology has not only reshaped the media landscape, but society itself.
• Disrupting Traditional Healthcare with Innovation and Technology: PhilipsUSA Chief Medical Officer Joseph Frassica will lead a discussion on challenging the traditional health care model with Carrie L. Byington, Dean of the Texas A&M College of Medicine, Senior Vice President of the Texas A&M University Health Science Center and Vice Chancellor for Health Services, CEO of Engineering Health (EnHealth) and Executive Dean for Engineering Medicine (EnMed) Roderic I. Pettigrew and Center for Remote Health Technologies and Systems Director Gerard Coté.
• “Future Proofing” Disaster Recovery: Commission to Rebuild Texas Chair and Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp, Texas Senator John Whitmire (D-Houston) and State Representative Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria) will explore the changing dynamics of natural disaster recovery and preparedness with journalist Roland S. Martin.
• The Community, Culture and Science of Texas BBQ: Author and cook Jess Pryles will lead a discussion on Texas’ rich BBQ culture and the techniques, seasonings and cuts that drive the culinary art. Joining Pryles will be Jeff Savell, Davey Griffin and Ray Riley, meat scientists and pitmasters behind Texas A&M’s Camp Brisket.
Texas A&M X ’47 Brand Discovery House at The Clive on Rainey Street
The Texas A&M X ’47 Brand Discovery House will bring Texas A&M’s global impact as a land, sea and space-grant institution to life through a captivating sensory experience at a redesigned Clive. The Discovery House collaboration between Texas A&M, premier apparel partner ’47 Brand and leading new media lifestyle brand Highsnobiety also will feature live musical performances from emerging talents and breakfast, lunch and dinner from Texas A&M’s BBQ Geniuses and Stiles Switch BBQ.
Texas A&M Discovery Lounge at the Courtyard Marriott’s Brazos Ballroom
SXSW-goers will have an opportunity to relax and recharge at the Discovery Lounge while exploring Texas A&M through engaging sensory experiences.
• Live Mural with LifeWTR: Teams of Texas A&M students will create a mural in real-time and compete for scholarships and an opportunity to have their work featured on apparel in a special campus series.
• “Saving Brunch” Smoothie Counter: Attendees can take a pit stop and refuel with coffee, juice and smoothies while learning about Texas A&M sustainable agriculture research and the Healthy Texas initiative.
• BBQ Genius Q&A Counter: Pick the brains of Texas A&M’s “brisketeers” and learn the finer points of the culinary art of BBQ while snacking on complimentary samples.
• Aggies in Space: Guests will have an opportunity to experience outer space through the eyes of Aggie astronauts with Q&A sessions, virtual reality experiences and a chance to try ice cream developed by Texas A&M scientists for NASA.
• Buyer BeWhere: Residents of Galveston and Harris counties can receive flood hazard risk information through an interactive map developed by coastal environmental planning expert Sam Brody.
• Innovation Hour: The Mays Business School and the School of Innovation will crowdsource and identify global challenges with the help of SXSW guests, and then discuss them.
Subscribe for Texas A&M SXSW alerts and updates
Planning on attending SXSW in March? Sign up to receive programming and scheduling updates, and more detailed descriptions on panels and exhibits.
Funding for Texas A&M at SXSW was made possible through brand licensing revenues, without the use of tuition dollars.
This story is posted on Texas A&M Today.
