Discoveries and Dialogues
About the Colloquium Series
Each colloquium features three 10-minute long presentations by SDSU scholars with 5 minutes for questions and discussion between talks. While brief, the TED-like format is designed to convey the excitement of the what, why, and how of engaging in research, scholarship, and creative activities.
After the presentations, attendees are invited to mingle, network, and enjoy light refreshments.
The monthly Discoveries & Dialogues Colloquium series is organized by the University Research Council in collaboration with the Division of Research and Innovation. It is designed to showcase innovative research and other accomplishments across various departments, encourage interdisciplinary collaborations, and enrich our academic community.
Call for Speakers
If you or a colleague are interested in speaking at an upcoming Discoveries & Dialogues Colloquium, please fill out our call for speakers form for the upcoming academic year.
Upcoming Discoveries & Dialogues
The colloquium series is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are encouraged. Discoveries and Dialogues will restart in the Fall 2026 semester, typically on the third Wednesday of the month.
September Discoveries and Dialogues (Speakers TBD)
Previous Colloquia
EchoThief: Relocating Sounds Through Augmented Reality by Chris Warren, Ph.D., associate professor of digital composition and sound design
Autism Doesn’t End at 21: Why We Fail Young Adults by Teresa Girolamo, Ph.D., assistant professor in School of Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
Trouble in Paradise: Public Health Microbiology of the Tijuana River by Scott Kelley, Ph.D., professor of biology, director of bioinformatics program
Night at the MRI: How brain imaging can help us reveal why children with autism struggle to sleep by Annika Linke, Ph.D., research assistant professor of psychology
Maximizing scientific knowledge from intervention trial data by Eileen Pitpitan, Ph.D., professor in the School of Social Work and associate director of the SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use
The quest for new engineering materials to drive innovations and impact in biomedical devices, energy generation and storage, and sensors by Sam Kassegne, Ph.D., professor of mechanical engineering
From Self-Expression to Self-Incrimination: Consumer Responses to Data Threats by Nita Umashankar, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing
Black Histories and Identities in Western Nicaragua: Seeking Freedom Against the Backdrop of U.S. 19th Century Imperialism by Victoria González-Rivera, Ph.D., professor and chair of Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies
Beyond the Bedroom: How Friends Talk About Sex and How it Affects our Wellbeing by Katrina Pariera, Ph.D., associate professor of communication
Spinning Wheel of Life in the Dark or the Magic Power of Single Carbon Metabolism by Marina Kalyuzhnaya Ph.D., professor of microbiology
DNA and Language by Marty Sereno, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology, former director of SDSU Imaging Center
Reading in the Brain by Phillip Holcomb, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology, co-director of the SDSU-UCSD Joint Doctoral Program in Language and Communicative Disorders
Your Money, Your Mind: Why Smart People Stay Stuck by Eesha Sharma, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing
Until the Lion Tells the Story: Reclaiming Voice, Power, and Knowledge in Research and Practice by Megan Ebor, Ph.D., assistant professor of social welfare
Being the Only One in the Room: What Isolation Means for Minority Members in Power by Taekjin Shin, Ph.D., professor of management
Mitigating Impact via Impact Testing by George Youssef, professor of mechanical engineering
Improving Food Security through Produce Distribution by Iana Castro, Zahn Professor of Creativity and Innovation
Thermal Violence: The Politics of Climate Control in Brazil's Prisons by Erika Robb Larkins, professor of anthropology
