The 8th International Symposium on the theme of “Forces Reshaping the World” was to be held in St. Louis in October 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Symposium could not proceed in person. Despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, the McDonnell Academy continued to advance dialogue and engagement among partner institutions through a series of virtual events held throughout fall 2020 academic year.

Symposium Snapshot features international and interdisciplinary collaborations and conversations focused on Hope in a Time of Uncertainty.

McDonnell Symposium - Executive Summary_2021

McDonnell International Scholars Academy

Highlights from the 2020 International Symposium

Hope in a Time of Uncertainty

The McDonnell Academy is committed to fostering dialogue and sharing ideas across disciplines. Founded in 2005, the McDonnell Academy organized its first International Symposium at Washington University in St. Louis in 2007. Since then, it has convened meetings in Hong Kong (2008), St. Louis (2010, 2014), Mumbai (2012), Brisbane (2016) and Beijing (2018).

View Symposium 2020 Highlights

Winners of the Symposium Photo Contest!

The Winner | $800 Prize

The Runner-Up | $400 Prize

View all the finalists from our photo contest, Hope and Resilience Around the World.

WATCH video responses to “What gives you hope for the future?”

Andrew Martin | Chancellor, Washington University in St. Louis

Deborah Terry AO | Vice-Chancellor and President, The University of Queensland
Ennio Vivaldi | Rector, University of Chile
Qiu Yong | President, Tsinghua University
Hayrettin Yucesoy | McDonnell Ambassador, Bogazici University
Ruthie Shaffer | McDonnell Scholar, US Scholars Program
Mark Wrighton | Chancellor Emeritus, Washington University in St. Louis
Guy Genin | McDonnell Ambassador, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Edward Yi Chang | Sr Vice President, National Chiao Tung University
Chung-Ming Kuan | President, National Taiwan University
Henk Kummeling | Rector, Utrecht University
Se-Jung Oh | President, Seoul National University
David Taylor | National University of Singapore
Hojun Lee | McDonnell Scholar, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

Michael Sherraden | McDonnell Ambassador, National University of Singapore
Christopher Chao | Dean of Engineering, The University of Hong Kong

VIEW submissions from our Hope and Resilience Around the World Photo Contest

READ answers to “What gives you hope for the future?”

John McDonnell - What gives you hope for the future?
President Qixin - What gives you hope for the future
Student - What gives you hope for the future?

What gives you hope?