Keynote Speakers

May 29, 2025 | Auditorium | 7:00p

We are proud to present five keynote speakers for Celebration of Research 2025.

Their topics represent diverse fields of study—musicology, medicine, history, media studies, and anthropology—and their work represents not only individual excellence but also the breadth and depth of the Academic Research Program.

Each speaker will give a short talk followed by a Q&A session.

Kiki Donaldson

Kiki dove into primary-document research about the lives and contributions of women who worked as domestic workers in Detroit and at the Eleanor and Edsel Ford House in the 1930s. In so doing, she unveils the stories of women who have often been overlooked by history.

Kiki's research was conducted in partnership with Ford House and was funded by the Americana Foundation and the Michigan Humanities Council.

Peter Laethem

Peter's research into the effects of social media on athletes' lives, both emotionally and in terms of performance, demonstrates significant interdisciplinary research and applies media studies and psychology to a particular population: athletes.

Samantha Matt

Samantha's broad study of cultural tattoo practices among Indigenous groups showcases not only intellectual breadth but also the ability to compare belief systems and rituals across cultures and across historical periods.

Ari Medvinsky

Ari's research into the impact of music theory on Western understanding of global music grapples with the significance of Western hegemony and attempts to complicate our understanding of how we hear and make meaning out of music.

Mya Shah-Littles

Mya's research into the role of genetic counseling in preventative cancer care is rooted in scientific rigor and is also a call to action. With it, she hopes to encourage more people to consider the benefits of moving from a reactive relationship with cancer to the proactive relationship.

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