For 2026, the Festival theme is AWE, inspired by the work of Dr. Dacher Keltner and his book AWE: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. In his research, Keltner defines awe as the feeling we experience when we encounter something vast that transcends our current understanding and invites us to rethink our place in the world. Rather than prescribing a single definition, the 2026 Festival of Ideas invites participants to explore the many sources of awe identified in Keltner’s work; including moral beauty, nature, collective experience, art, ideas, and human connection.
Date: Thursday, April 2
Location: UTA Planetarium and SEIR 298
Cost: Free
| Time | Event | Location |
| 12:45 PM | Author Q&A | UTA Planetarium |
| 7:00 PM | Keynote Speaker Event | Science and Engineering Innovation and Research Building (SEIR), room 298 (655 W. Mitchell St., Arlington, TX 76010) |
*Keynote Speaker Event is open to the public. There will be a book signing following the event.
Parking is provided in Lot F9 and Lot 49 for free.
*Guests parking in Lot 49 please note that the pedestrian bridge that connects Lot 49 to the back of SEIR has steps only, if you are arriving with small children and require ramp access, please utilize Lot F9 for parking and use the ADA route below.*
*Parking is provided in Lot 49 and F9, no permit is required. Please note that only ADA parking in F10 is permissible without a campus issued parking permit. If you do not have an ADA parking placard or license plate but require ramp access, please park in F9. All other parking in F10 without a campus issued parking pass will be fined.*
ADA Accessible parking is available in lots F9 and F10.
If parking at F9:
If parking at F10:
Dr. Dacher Keltner is a Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and Faculty Director of the Greater Good Science Center. A leading expert in the science of emotion, his research explores the biological and evolutionary roots of awe, compassion, love, and social connection.
He is the author of several influential books, including Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, The Power Paradox, and Born to Be Good. Dr. Keltner has published over 190 scientific papers and his work has been featured in major outlets such as The New York Times, TIME, and NPR.
Beyond academia, he has collaborated with organizations like Google and served as a scientific consultant for Pixar’s Inside Out. He is also the host of The Science of Happiness podcast, which has reached millions of listeners worldwide.
Through his research and storytelling, Dr. Keltner helps audiences better understand how emotions shape our lives, relationships, and sense of purpose.
Experiencing Awe: Wonder, Creativity, and the Liberal Arts.
We invite you to find awe, explore awe, and tell your story. What makes you pause and wonder? When, where, and how do you experience awe? Why is that so? Turn your ideas, experiences, or questions into a product that can be shared with others. Learn more about Dr. Keltner's take on AWE by reading his interview and/or watching his YouTube video.
Established in 2005 through the generosity of UT Arlington alumnus Mustaque Ahmed (’81), the Festival of Ideas has grown into a vibrant, endowed program that celebrates the power of the arts, humanities, and social sciences.
Each year, the Festival brings together students, faculty, and the broader community to explore ideas that shape our understanding of the world. Drawing from the diverse disciplines within the College of Liberal Arts, the Festival highlights the value of creative expression, critical thinking, and meaningful dialogue.
Through a dynamic series of events, the Festival culminates in a keynote experience featuring influential voices whose work inspires curiosity, challenges perspectives, and connects us through shared human experiences.
At its core, the Festival of Ideas invites us to explore big ideas, foster connection, and discover new ways of seeing ourselves—and the world around us.
We celebrated 130 years of UTA at the COLA Festival of Ideas. This artistic extravaganza showcased the UTA University Singers, joined by UTA poets, actors, dancers, instrumentalists, ensembles, and community singers. Themed around UTA Spirit, leadership and those who came before, dreams, and the empowerment of the future, this event was a dynamic tribute to the university’s rich history and bright future.
New York Times Bestselling author and Guggenheim Fellow David Treuer is Ojibwe from the Leech Lake Reservation in northern Minnesota. Treuer is the author of seven books and the winner of two Minnesota Book Awards, the California Book Award for Nonfiction, and was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Carnegie Medal. His writing has appeared in Harper’s, The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Times, LA Times, and The Washington Post, among others. He divides his time between Leech Lake Reservation and Los Angeles, where he is a Professor of English at The University of Southern California.
Jarrett J. Krosoczka is the New York Times bestselling author/illustrator behind more than forty books for young readers, including his wildly popular Lunch Lady graphic novels, select volumes of the Star WarsTM: Jedi Academy series, and Hey, Kiddo, which was a National Book Award Finalist. Krosoczka creates books with humor, heart, and deep respect for his young readers— qualities that have made his titles perennial favorites on the bookshelves of homes, libraries, and bookstores over the past twenty years.
Author of over 20 plays, Octavio Solis is considered by many to be one of the most prominent Latino playwrights in America. With works that both draw on and transcend the Mexican-American experience, he is a writer and director whose style defies formula, examining the darkness, magic and humor of humanity with brutal honesty and characteristic intensity. Lydia is a riveting play about the Flores family in 1970’s El Paso, Texas. Lydia, an undocumented maid, comes to the Flores family to assist them with their disabled daughter. What follows is a personal look into a shared family trauma, with the themes of understanding/misunderstanding, love, sexuality, identity and the importance of voice, especially for those who cannot speak.
