Junior Fellow Lecture Series – The Fantastic and the Re-Imagined 

Presented by the Junior Fellows, these lectures take place roughly once a month and invite three Junior Fellows to give an after dinner lecture on a chosen topic through the lens of their various fields of study. 

October’s topic is The Fantastic and the Re-Imagined .

Presenter: Noah Khan, PhD Candidate in Social Justice Education

The Emotional Dynamics of Fantasy in the Reimagination of Artificial Intelligence. This presentation explores the emotional dynamics of fantasy in reimagining artificial intelligence. Drawing from preliminary fieldwork, the presentation inquires into the specific genre of fantasy upheld in artificial intelligence development and the emotions required to prop it up. By analyzing emotional investments in fantasy, an inroad to the narrative structure of artificial intelligence development is proposed by way of emotions. The presentation suggests that only specific genres of fantasy are registered as valid fantasy, serving as a barrier to marginalized narratives in discussions of new artificial intelligence futures.

Presenter: Bana Samman, MD Candidate

The Frankenstein Heart: How the Ross Procedure Revolutionised Aortic Valve Surgery. Conventional operations for treating aortic valve disease have presented a host of challenges over the course of history, and no strategy is perfect. The thrombogenic nature of mechanical valves necessitates lifelong anticoagulation, and bioprosthetic valves are associated with predictable deterioration and consequent re-operation in younger patients. Beyond these critical limitations, prostheses fail to reproduce the geometric integrity and haemodynamic stability of functional native aortic valves, which translates to reduced long-term survival. What if we could disassemble a patient’s heart, use one of their other valves to replace their aortic valve, and reconstruct their heart with a donor cadaver valve?

Presenter: Marissa Herzig, PhD Candidate in English Literature

The End of the Golem: Reproducing the Disabled (Non)Human. With an abundance of fairy tale and folklore retellings in the twenty-first century, and a resurgence in popularity about golems, my project aims to question how the nonhuman functions in Jewish folklore and its retellings. Drawing on contemporary disability studies scholarship, my presentation will go over who/what the golem is as well as the striking differences in the male and female golem narrative structures. In examining how discourses of disability inform golems as characters, I argue that ideas about reproduction and the nonhuman shed new light on the golem myth.

Make this an evening filled with excellent food and wonderful company – register to attend Formal Dinner in advance of the Junior Fellow lecture Series! All are welcome and encouraged to attend.