Impact Talks Speaker Series
Past Speakers
The Office of the Provost's Impact Talks Speaker Series focuses on understanding the human impact of specific trends, disciplines or industries within communities and societies.
Previous Impact Talks
Generative AI and Higher Education
November 2, 2023
Jason Gulya, Ph.D., professor at Berkeley College and the chair of the Artificial
Intelligence Council, discussed the rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence
(AI) and its impact on higher education.
Innovation in International Education
April 21, 2023
Centered around trends in international education and its resurgence following the
COVID-19 pandemic, the Spring 2023 event welcomed Andrea Prencipe, professor of organization
and innovation and rector of Luiss University, and Sarah Ilchman, co-president of
the Institute of International Education. Prencipe emphasized internationalization
as a way to embrace diversity and academic interdisciplinarity, while Ilchman discussed
IIE's efforts to promote internationalization through diverse opportunities like scholarships
and partnerships. Read the full recap »
Digital Transformation: Closing the Digital Gap in Higher Education
January 30, 2023
More than 80 Seton Hall community members gathered as a panel of prominent industry
leaders known for guiding organizations through cutting-edge technological initiatives
discussed the critical importance of digital transformation in higher education, and
the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Read the full recap »
- Ashish Parmar, chief information officer, Tapestry
- Jennifer Sparrow, Ed.D., senior manager for higher ed business development, Amazon Web Services
- Richard Sparrow, associate vice president and global chief information security officer, New York University
- Todd Taylor, Ph.D., professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Adobe Pedagogical Evangelist
Elegantly Designing the Future of Computing
April 27, 2022
Three prominent scholars and experts in the fields of technology, design, media, learning
and the fusion of these areas offered their collective insights and keen perspective
on the correlation and impact of interdisciplinary thinking on how these fields converge
in very new and exciting ways. Read the full recap »
- Luca Iandoli, associate dean for Global Programs and Research and a professor in the Department of Computer Science, St. John's University
- Mark Juszczak, assistant professor in International Communication, St. John's University
- Edrex Fontanilla, associate professor in the Division of Mass Communication, St. John's University
Riccardo Illy, Author of The Art of Excellent Products: Enchanting Customers with Premium Brand Experiences
April 8, 2022
Business leader and entrepreneur Riccardo Illy offered a presentation on his latest
book, The Art of Excellent Products: Enchanting Customers with Premium Brand Experiences, and discussed how proven business principles helped his company to achieve great success
in a very crowded and competitive market.
Illy is well-known for his expert marketing and business leadership of his family’s coffee company, illycaffè, among many other business ventures. Illy has also held several prestigious positions with governmental organizations across Italy and the European Union.
It Will be Chaos Screening and Panel Discussion
December 2, 2021
The Seton Hall community gathered for a screening of the Emmy-Award winning documentary, It Will be Chaos, about the European refugee crisis as seen through the eyes of asylum seekers fleeing war and repression. Following, panel discussion featured the film directors Filippo Piscopo and Lorena Luciano, and Associate Dean and Professor Jeff Togman, College of Arts and Sciences.
PepsiCo Senior Vice President Mauro Porcini on Design's Impact on Humanity
June 3, 2021
At the inaugural Impact Talks Speaker Series session, Mauro Porcini, senior vice president and
chief design officer at PepsiCO, explored how he infuses design thinking into PepsiCo's
culture, his approach to innovation by design that impacts the company's product platforms
and brands, as well as how organizations can create value through designing powerful
visceral, interactive and expressive relationships between the brand and the customer.
Read the full recap »