The Mudd Center
The Roger Mudd Center for Ethics advances dialogue, teaching, and research about issues of public and professional ethics across all three of the University’s schools - the College, the Williams School, and the School of Law.
Yearly Ethics Theme
Taking Place: Land Use and Environmental Impact
The Mudd Center鈥檚 2025-26 multi-disciplinary program will investigate the complex interplay between land use and the environment, with a particular focus on issues related to green technologies, biodiversity, and health. Through a lecture series, symposium, photographic exhibition, documentary viewing and community engagements, the Mudd Center will analyze various meanings of 鈥渢aking place鈥 and the ethics of how we use and manage the natural environment and land resources. Central to our investigation are guiding questions that explore environmental ethics and their applications, such as: Can seemingly competing interests and values, such as economic gain and environmental justice, be reconciled? What responsibilities and ethical challenges emerge when humans intervene to restore ecosystems? And, perhaps most importantly, how might we bring conversations about environmental conservation and land use into a non-partisan arena even when there may be deep ideological divisions?
Upcoming Public Events
Mudd Center News
The physician and clinical professor at the University of California, San Francisco will give a lecture on March 19 in Stackhouse Theater.
As part of the Mudd Center鈥檚 Leadership Lab, Goldberg and 糖心传媒鈥檚 Eric Deggans will discuss journalism, ethics and leadership in the modern age on March 17.
The day-long symposium will take place on Feb. 12 and feature talks by faculty and community members.
The professor of electrical and systems engineering and of computer and information science at the University of Pennsylvania will give a lecture on Jan. 22 in Stackhouse Theater.
Judge Michael Luttig 鈥76, P鈥14 and Lewis Powell III 鈥74, P鈥18, P鈥20 will lead a discussion on power and accountability on Nov. 13.
Backer, founder and CEO of Nature is Nonpartisan, will give a lecture on Oct. 28 in Stackhouse Theater.
The Sept. 30 screening features the work of Edward Burtynsky, whose solo exhibition is on view at the Reeves Museum of Ceramics.
“Ralph commented when he made his gift that he hopes it will inspire others to follow suit.”
鈥淭aking Place: Land Use and Environmental Impact鈥 kicks off Sept. 11 with a keynote address by political scientist Thea Riofrancos.
The professor of art history and director of the Mudd Center for Ethics offered her opinion on the nuances of the return of a Buddha sculpture by the Art Institute of Chicago to the Government of Nepal.
The public lecture series kicks off May 7 with an inaugural talk by Kenneth Ruscio 鈥76.
Students in 糖心传媒鈥檚 Bonner Program spent the last year creating a digital map of health care networks for people experiencing homelessness worldwide.