Past Events

NOON | WONDER HOUSE

Doors Open!

Taste original Sonoran food from the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Tucson, AZ, and immerse yourself in the drama of the desert that inspires us to study the stars, conserve every drop, and value each other's perspectives.

1 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Harnessing the Power of Food as Medicine with Shad Marvasti, MD, MPH

The US diet is SAD, and it's making us sick. But it's not too late to change our systems of medicine, food production, even fast food delivery for a healthier country to combat the diseases of our time.​

2 PM | PATIO STAGE

Food as Medicine Cooking Demo with Dr Shad and Chef Omo

Who says delicious can't be healthy? Learn how to make it yourself from fresh ingredients, and of course, taste samples while they last!

4 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Cannabis is here. So let's understand it with Todd Vanderah, PhD

With the increasing legalization and use of marijuana throughout the country, we have a duty to ourselves and our society to understand its potential benefits and harms. Learn about the ups and downs of cannabis as found in the research that is happening now, and what the future could hold.

5:30 PM | SURROUND STAGE

A Guide to Inventing the Future with Erika Hamden, PhD

Progress isn’t driven by lone geniuses toiling away in a lab. It is driven by new technology and by the imperfect, slow, and laborious work that goes into technology development. True disruption is very different than what you might think.​

5 PM | PATIO

Cannabis Networking Event

Join us to connect with cannabis producers, researchers and advocates in the heart of the festival.

8 PM | PATIO

The Santa Cruz Sound Experience with DJ DirtyVerbs

DJ DirtyVerbs seamlessly blends cumbia as a lengua franca to sonically travel across Las Américas and beyond, mixing in sounds of the Sonoran Desert to sick beats. While your ears are delighted, your eyes can feast on Alex! Jimenez deliciously stark hand-drawn animations of storms across the Tucson sky. You won't go hungry with Chef Omo's fiesta food of walking tacos, elote, Sonoran hot dogs and sweet churros for a beautiful Saturday night under the SXSW stars.​

NOON | WONDER HOUSE

Doors Open!

Taste original Sonoran food from the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Tucson, AZ, and immerse yourself in the drama of the desert that inspires us to study the stars, conserve every drop, and value each other's perspectives.

1 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Myth Busting: Women, Competitiveness, and Equity with Mary Rigdon, PhD 

Despite what you think or have heard, there is no gender competitiveness gap. It's a myth that women are not as competitive as men. Rigdon's research makes a business and ethical case for greater inclusion, equity, and opportunity to place more women on boards and in C-­Suites.​

2 PM | PATIO STAGE

Taste of Tucson Demo & Sampling Cooking Demo with Chef Omo

Join Chef Michael Omo and his team in making Tucson finger foods and aquas frescas for a refreshing taste in the middle of a busy day.

2:30 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Political Common Sense in Four Easy Steps with Keith Allred, Exec Director, National Institute for Civil Discourse 

Americans are growing more polarized by virtually every measure, except on the issues themselves. It may look like an unbreakable deadlock, but the more than 50,000 members of the Commonsense American program have dramatically improved bipartisan congressional problem solving. Find out how!

4 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Voices Unheard in Environmental Justice, Panel Discussion and documentary sneak preview 

with Researcher Denise Ramírez and Landmark Stories producers Sandra Westdahl and Elena Lopez

In the early 1980s, high levels of TCE, a cancer-causing solvent, were found in the groundwater in south Tucson. For decades, community members have fought to get the TCE plume cleaned up and now PFAS poses a new threat to groundwater. Dig into a discussion on the responsibility filmmakers and scientists have to work collaboratively with communities to amplify and empower unheard voices in science.​

5:30 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Gaming the Past: History as Time Travel with Alison Futrell, PhD, and Paul Milliman, PhD 

UArizona History’s pathbreaking collaboration with Age of Empires IV opens new possibilities for creative and meaningful virtual time travel. Dive into immersive gaming and rich history with the professors behind the Age of Empires IV Illuminated History Experience.​

NOON | WONDER HOUSE

Doors Open!

Taste original Sonoran food from the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Tucson, AZ, and immerse yourself in the drama of the desert that inspires us to study the stars, conserve every drop, and value each other's perspectives.

1 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Conflict in Cyber, with Dean Gary Packard, Jr, and Jason Denno, Executive Director of the Cyber Convergence Center (C3) 

Everyone lives, works, and plays in cyber space. However, unseen dangers lurk in the cloud that connect you, your device, and your information with the rest of the world, and professionals need to up-level. Fast.

2 PM | PATIO STAGE

Cooking with Manja, Demo & Sampling 

Join Executive Pastry Chef Manja Blackwood, as seen on the Food Network Spring Baking Championship, to whip up sweet culinary confections. Taste samples while they last.

4 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Latino/a/x Cultures and Media: Going Global with Jessica Retis, PhD, Director of the UArizona School of Journalism 

The US is becoming the 2nd largest Spanish speaking country in the world, yet media companies still look at the Latinx market as a block, leading to missed opportunities in coverage, editorial and market share.

5:30 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Unlearning from Meow Wolf with Ryan Meeks, AIA, Founder of Bosk 

What a unique design experience says about the future of architecture.

7:00 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Immerse Yourself: How VR Can Revolutionize Learning with Bryan Carter, PhD, Director of the Center for Digital Humanities 

What does it mean to ‘be there’, and how can it affect learning and retention? Instead of flying across the globe to understand the nuances of history or a new surgical technique, educators and businesses of all sizes are investing in VR to connect and learn in real time. 

5:30 PM | PATIO

14th Annual Entrepreneurs Lounge at SXSW 2023 (by invitation only) 

The University of Arizona, Visit Tucson, Tech Launch Arizona, and Tech Parks Arizona are excited to host the 14th Annual Entrepreneurs Lounge at SXSW! Network with fellow startup founders and innovative UArizona entrepreneur-inventors, c-level executives, and investors who will be in town for SXSW and/or call Austin home.

NOON | WONDER HOUSE

Doors Open!

Taste original Sonoran food from the UNESCO City of Gastronomy, Tucson, AZ, and immerse yourself in the drama of the desert that inspires us to study the stars, conserve every drop, and value each other's perspectives.

1 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Net Zero Urban Water Future: Reinventing Self-Sustaining Cities in the Southwest with Courtney Crosson, Director of the Drachman Institute 

Innovation and resilience in urban water systems is needed in the face of climate change, economic development, and aged infrastructure. Learn a new approach to managing scarce resources.

2 PM | PATIO STAGE

Climate Cocktail Demo & Sampling with Chef Omo

Join Chef Michael Omo as he creates climate-inspired drinks and dishes to suit the theme of the day. Taste samples while they last.

2:30 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Insights from Biosphere 2 about Biosphere 1 – and Beyond with John Adams and Joost Van Haren

From a million-gallon ocean to study coral reef decline and restoration to a half-acre rainforest with which to test drought conditions, this beautiful desert gem has much to teach us about our little blue marble.

4 PM | SURROUND STAGE

Climate Data is Power - to the People with Joellen Russell, PhD, and Beth Tellman, PhD

As climate scientists - and moms - we know that future generations depend on us making good decisions today about where and how to develop our human society and protect our planet. When we harness the power of big climate data, we can all make better decisions for our cities, our countries and our homes.

5:30 PM | SURROUND STAGE

I Know What Your Water Did Last Summer with Laura Condon, PhD

Understanding and predicting watershed behaviors in a changing climate is a big challenge, especially when you add in the changes we are making to move water for human habitation and agriculture. Big data with simple front-end tools can help city planners and water managers be smart about decisions which have lasting ramifications.