Gustavus Adolphus College Announces 61st Annual Nobel Conference: “Sugar: Bringing Sweetness to Light”
Gustavus Adolphus College is proud to announce the 61st annual Nobel Conference, “Sugar: Bringing Sweetness to Light,” set to take place on October 7-8. This year’s theme will explore the science and societal impact of sugar, bringing together leading experts in neuroscience, chemistry, economics, history, and social sciences, along with a world-champion pastry chef. The conference will delve into the latest research on sugar and its profound impact on human health and society.
“The Nobel Conference is the only academic event in the United States authorized to use the prestigious Nobel name, underscoring its commitment to high-level scholarly discourse. Since 1965, the annual conference has served as a forum for world-renowned researchers and thinkers to address pressing scientific issues and the ethical questions they raise,” says Gustavus President John C. Volin. “I look forward to welcoming leading researchers and innovators, students, and the public to join us as we explore facets of sugar, a remarkable molecule and the powerful roles it continues to play in our bodies, cultures, and the planet.”
This year’s event will continue that tradition by shedding light on sugar—a substance that is at once essential for human energy and a driver of complex societal issues.
Keynote speakers will include:
- Nicole Avena, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Neuroscience
- Carolyn Bertozzi, Professor of Chemistry, Stanford University, Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2022
- Ulbe Bosma, Professor of History, Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and Senior Researcher, International Institute of Social History Amsterdam, author of The World of Sugar: How the Sweet Stuff Transformed Our Politics, Health, and Environment over 2,000 Years
- Jean Casimir, Professor of Humanities, University of Haiti, former Haitian ambassador to the United States
- En-Ming Hsu, Founder-Owner of Sip; Pastry World Champion
- Frank Hu, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard University, T.H. Chan School of Public Health
- C. Ford Runge, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Applied Economics and Law, University of Minnesota
Sugar, in the form of glucose, is the most important source of energy for the human body, but can also induce cravings as robust as those for cocaine. In the form of cane, beets, and corn, it’s an important crop and commodity, and it was a driving force in European colonization and the Atlantic slave trade. It’s a seemingly irreplaceable element in celebrations, festivals, and special treats, but also a source of “empty calories” in many prepared and processed foods. While glucose contributes to adverse health conditions such as diabetes, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, and other illnesses, glycans—complex carbohydrates that cloak the cells of our bodies—show promise for playing crucial roles in the treatment of diseases, including cancer. Nobel Conference 61 will seek to shed light on this complicated carbohydrate, whose roles in human life are anything but simple.
As with past conferences, this year’s event will feature a blend of science and the arts, with performances, art installations, and interactive sessions designed to engage attendees in a multidisciplinary exploration of the theme. For those attending in person, the Nobel Conference theme is interpreted through art exhibitions, dance performances, and spoken word events. This year’s conference will feature a “sugar-themed” open-mic StorySLAM event presented in collaboration with The Moth, known for its award-winning program featured on NPR. To kick off day two of the conference on October 8, Gustavus will host a live screening to launch “Gus Goes There,” a new educational video series for Minnesota teachers and students. This series utilizes content from past Nobel Conferences to explore themes such as climate, genetics, and the impact science has on human life, and can be viewed on the Gustavus Adolphus YouTube channel.
The Nobel Conference is free and open to the public, and all lectures and panel discussions will also be available for online viewing at no cost. A full schedule can be viewed here. Supplemental learning materials are available for teachers and the general public via the Gustavus Adolphus College Nobel Conference website, which also has information on the schedule, speakers, and how to attend.
