Each summer, we host between one and three professionals working on innovative topics to share their work at Yleana. We ask them to give inspiring versions of their research to our students, broadening our students' minds and worlds with a gentle nudge out of the box.

Speakers have included:

Dr. Joseph Rosen, after whom the Imagination Workshop Series was named. Dr. Rosen, a professor at Dartmouth College and surgeon at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, has long inspired students to think about what it means to be human — and how medicine and science challenge and complicate that question. Dr. Rosen has pioneered surgical techniques and operations, consulted for the Defense Department, guest lectured at colleges including Amherst College, Smith College, and MIT, and currently runs an international humanitarian program in Vietnam helping talented American and Vietnamese medical professionals share knowledge and experience and change the lives of Vietnamese children.

Dr. Jonathan Cristol, a fellow at the World Policy Institute (WPI) in New York City and a senior fellow at Bard College’s Center for Civic Engagement in Annandale, New York. Dr. Cristol is a noted expert in Middle Eastern politics and international security and talked to us about the fallout of a nuclear explosion in Boston/NYC as well as international relations in general.

Dr. Erin Heisel, an active music researcher and writer, who has presented work celebrating the interdependence of music performance and research at conferences in the US and abroad. She travels the world as a classical singer performing, teaching, and researching as a musicologist. She taught us not only about the world of classical singing, but also created a unique, immersive improv experience in which all students participated.

Dr. Andrew Reiter, a professor at Mount Holyoke College and an expert on political violence, conflict resolution, and post-conflict peacebuilding. He spoke to us about the challenges that societies face in recovering from past violence, from deciding who should be put on trial to determining which victims deserve reparations. He also challenged us to look around at the many monuments and memorials we walk by everyday without even noticing--the memory of war and violence surrounds us!

Dr. Stephen Kennedy, NCC, is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Chi Sigma Iota, the International Honor Society for Professional Counselors. He discussed his experiences as a high school counselor and encouraged Yleana participants to consider the rewards of this career while also acknowledging the challenges. He invited students to examine a common dilemma: School counselors are required to break confidentiality when a student says that they plan to harm themselves or someone else, but would this extend to a situation in which a student admits to using alcohol or drugs?

Derrick Gunter, a compassionate student affairs professional with over a decade of experience, whose work focuses on access, equity, and inclusion in higher education. He spoke to us about how to authentically use your voice to apply to college. Writing an essay is hard, but talking about you is what admissions officers really want and need!