Tuesday evening, April 29, 2025, the Science, Technology, & Society Initiative (STS-I) welcomed the University of San Diego community to its very first public program-a lecture entitled “Where Does Science Live? Rebridging Trust Between Science, Technology & Society (STS).” Held in Saints Tekakwitha & Serra Hall 215, the event marked the official launch of the Initiative’s campus-wide conversation about how scientific knowledge and technological innovation are always embedded in social, cultural, and historical contexts.

The evening’s featured speaker, Lochlann Jain, PhD-Professor of Anthropology at Stanford University and award-winning author of Injury, Malignant: How Cancer Becomes Us, and Things That Art-challenged the audience to rethink what counts as objective knowledge. The lively, engaged discourse that resulted underscored a central STS theme: knowledge production is collaborative, and disciplinary boundaries must be porous if society hopes to address pressing challenges.

STS-I was proud to co-host the program with USD’s Humanities Center, the Department of Philosophy, and the Biomedical Ethics Program. Their support reflects a shared commitment to cultivating scientifically literate, socially responsible leaders. Attendees also earned COMPASS, CONNECT, and PASSPORT co-curricular credit-demonstrating alignment between the initiative’s objectives and the University of San Diego’s socially-responsible priorities.

Stay tuned-more speaker events, workshops, and announcements are on the horizon as STS-I continues to collaborate with students, staff, and faculty across the University of San Diego. Connect with us to join the movement!