# Program - 2025 Thinking with Plants and Fungi Conference ## Program 2025 Thinking with Plants and Fungi Conference ![A view of green, misty tree leaves and branches as seen from the forest floor](/sites/g/files/omnuum4346/files/styles/hwp_21_9__1920x825/public/2024-11/green-misty-woods-MayaKarkalicheva.jpg?itok=fB7ybyhO) ## expand\_more The conference will last three days, from May 15 to 17. Each day will include keynote addresses, panel discussions, and networking time. Please see the [Panels page](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/research-programming/thinking-plants-fungi/2025-conference/panels) for panel descriptions. [Click here](https://harvard.zoom.us/j/96082182906?pwd=tvDv81MnTXpy2eC7UPgyNsaAABOaIU.1) to watch the conference via livestream. All times are listed in ET. *Banner image © Maya Karkalicheva.* ## Conference Schedule SortThursday, May 15 Time Event Location8:00 – 9:00 Registration HDS Commons 9:00 – 9:30 Welcome James Room 9:30 – 10:15 Keynote Address with Merlin Sheldrake, Biologist and Author of *Entangled Life* James Room 10:15 –10:45 Coffee 10:45 – 12:15 Panel: The Light Eaters: The Past and Future of Plant Neurobiology Zoë Schlanger, Writer and Author of *The Light Eaters* Ernesto Gianoli, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Tarleton State University Elizabeth Van Volkenburgh, Professor Emerita of Biology at the University of Washington James Room 12:15 – 1:15 Lunch HDS Commons 1:15 – 2:30 Panel: From Margulis to Arber: Romanticism and Mysticism in Plant Science Jacob Erickson, Assistant Professor, School of Religion, Trinity College Dublin Samira Daneshvar, PhD Candidate, Theory and History of Architecture, Harvard University James Room 2:30-3:15 Keynote Address with Emanuele Coccia, Philosopher and Lecturer, École des hautes études en sciences sociales James Room 3:15-3:45 Coffee 3:45-5:00 Panel and Performance: Botanical Art and Fungal Sounds Giovanni Aloi, Professor, School of the Art Institute, Chicago; Editor in Chief of *Antennae: The Journal of Nature in Visual Culture* Sion Parkinson, Visual Artist, Composer, Performer, Writer, and Researcher, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Scotland James Room 5:00-5:15 Close James Room SortFriday, May 16thTime Event Location 9:00 – 9:15 Welcome James Room 9:15 – 10:00 Keynote Address with Giuliana Furci, Foundress and Executive Director of the Fungi Foundation James Room 10:00 - 10:30 Coffee 10:30 – 12:15 Panel: Entangled Ethics: Forging a Future with Plants and Fungi Jamie Cross, Professor of Social Anthropology and Director of the Glasgow Changing Futures initiative, University of Glasgow Lacey Jones, PhD candidate in English and Religious Studies at Yale University Rebecca McMackin, Arboretum Curator at Woodlawn Cemetery and “Thinking with Plants and Fungi” Program Associate James Room 12:15 – 1:00 Lunch HDS Commons / James Room 1:00-1:30 Keynote Address by Ned Friedman, Director, The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University James Room 1:30 Board charter buses to The Arnold Arboretum Participants seeking transportation to board buses outside 45 Francis Avenue Outside 45 Francis Avenue 2:00 Tours and networking at The Arnold Arboretum Arnold Arboretum 4:00 (Optional) Board return buses to 45 Francis Avenue Arnold Arboretum 6:00 Opening Reception for [*Phantom Tree* Exhibition](https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/news/2025/04/phantom-tree-exhibit-and-opening-reception) by Thinking with Plants and Fungi Postdoctoral Fellow, Elitza Koeva 92 Seattle Street, Allston, MA 02134 SortSaturday, May 17thTime Event Location 9:00 – 9:15 Welcome James Room 9:15 – 10:00 Keynote Address with Banu Subramanian, Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Wellesley James Room 10:00-10:30 Coffee 10:30 – 12:15 Panel: Rooted Resistance: Plants, Colonial Histories, Radical Futures Elaine Ayers, Lecturer, History of Science and Medicine, Yale University Rebecca Mendoza, PhD Student, Committee on the Study of Religion, Harvard University & Sabina Cruz de la Cruz,Instructor, Instituto de Docencia e Investigación Etnológica de Zacatecas Joela Jacobs, Assistant Professor of German Studies, University of Arizona & Isabel Kranz, Professor of Cultural Studies, University of Applied Arts, Vienna James Room 12:15 – 1:15 Lunch HDS Commons 1:15 – 2:00 Keynote Address with Jessica J. Lee, Writer and Author of *Dispersals* James Room 2:00 – 2:40 Paper by Abigail Culpepper, PhD Candidate, Department of French and Francophone Studies, Brown University James Room 2:40-3:35 Keynote Address with Michael Marder, Research Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of the Basque Country James Room 3:35-4:00 Coffee 4:00-4:45 Closing Keynote Address with Monica Gagliano, Research Scientist and Author of *Thus Spoke the Plant* James Room 4:45-5:00 Conference Close James Room