Announcing the 2025 Tech Ethics Symposium: Staying Human in the Age of AI

November 6-7, 2025
Power Center Ballroom and Online

The Grefenstette Center for Ethics is excited to announce our sixth annual Tech Ethics Symposium, Staying Human in the Age of AI, which will be held in person at Duquesne University's Power Center and livestreamed online. This year's event will feature internationally leading figures in the ongoing discussion of ethical and responsible uses of AI. The two-day Symposium is co-sponsored by the Patricia Doherty Yoder Institute for Ethics and Integrity in Journalism and Media, the Center for Teaching Excellence, and the Albert P. Viragh Institute for Ethics in Business.

We are excited to once again host a Student Research Poster Competition at the Symposium. All undergraduate and graduate student research posters on any topic in the area of tech/digital/AI ethics are welcome. In addition to the standard First Place, Runner Up, and Audience Choice poster awards, this year we are introducing the inaugural Pope Francis Award, which will go to the poster that best exemplifies the Catholic ethic of service, encounter, and love, as encompassed in Pope Francis’ approach to technology. Student Research Poster submissions will be due Friday, October 17. More details of the 2025 Student Research Poster Competition will be posted soon.

Registration for the Symposium will open in September. Stay up to date with news about this exciting event by signing up for our email list today!

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Find the details of all past Grefenstette Center Tech Ethics Symposia on our Media and Events page.

Symposium Details

Program

The 2025 Tech Ethics Symposium will take place on Thursday, November 6 and Friday, November 7, 2025 in the Dougherty Ballroom in the Power Center on the Duquesne University campus. 

Detailed program coming soon!

Registration

The Symposium is free to attend and open to all Pittsburgh-area university students, faculty, and staff, as well as community members. 

Registration will open in September!

Student Poster Competition: Staying Human in the Age of AI

All undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit posters to present at the symposium on any aspect of technology ethics! The best poster in each category (undergraduate and graduate) will receive a $400 cash prize! Runners-up in each category will receive $200, and two audience choice winners will each  receive $100. All accepted posters will receive a $75 award.

New Poster Award! In addition to the standard awards detailed above, this year we are introducing the inaugural Pope Francis Award, which will go to the poster that best exemplifies the Catholic ethic of service, encounter, and love, as encompassed in Pope Francis’ approach to technology.

Rules & Eligibility

  • Complete the submission form and submit your poster to the designated box folder as a PDF by the deadline.
  • Submissions may come from individuals or groups. Only one poster per team.
  • Poster size must be 36”x44” (use the template to ensure you meet size guidelines).
  • Posters may come from any academic discipline.
  • Any current undergraduate or graduate student, from any university, is eligible to submit a poster.
  • If accepted, at least one author must be physically present to present the poster.
  • Posters will be due Friday, October 17, 2025.

Detailed 2025 Call for Student Posters and submission information coming soon! 

Parking and Campus Information

Duquesne University is located at 600 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, and the Symposium will take place on the fifth floor of the Power Center in the Dougherty Ballroom and Shepperson Suite areas.

If you are driving to the Symposium, paid parking is available at Duquesne's Forbes Avenue Parking Garage (1100 Forbes Avenue). Upon parking, take the parking garage elevator to the eighth floor, exit the elevator, then enter the Skywalk on your right, which crosses Forbes Ave. The Skywalk will take you directly to the fifth floor of the Power Center.

Additional paid parking is available at the Chatham Center Garage, located on Fifth Ave. 

Please refer to this campus map to assist you in navigating your way to the Symposium.