IDSVA Makes Its Mark at PACT 2026 in Hawaiʻi
October 21, 2026
The IDSVA community made an extraordinary showing at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo for the Pacific Association for the Continental Tradition (PACT) 17th Annual Meeting, a three-day conference titled Metamorphosis, held October 8–10.
With IDSVA alumni, faculty, and leadership contributing throughout the program, the conference highlighted the breadth of scholarship emerging from IDSVA and its growing presence in contemporary conversations in philosophy, aesthetics, and the arts.
Highlights of the conference included two plenary sessions: Dr. Manulani Meyer’s inspiring “Hoʻopono: Mutual Emergence,” and IDSVA Founder and President Emeritus George Smith’s “The Artist Philosopher.”
It was especially meaningful to hear George Smith bring his thinking on the artist-philosopher beyond IDSVA. His plenary, moderated by Gabriel Reed, IDSVA PhD and Interim Director, offered an opportunity to return to some of the ideas and questions at the heart of IDSVA’s founding intellectual vision.
Beyond the formal sessions, PACT offered an opportunity for IDSVA alumni, faculty, and colleagues to reconnect, exchange ideas, celebrate one another's work, and strengthen the relationships that extend far beyond the doctoral program.
The breadth of IDSVA's participation was especially meaningful. From recent graduates to longtime members of the community, IDSVA scholars were present throughout the program, reflecting both the rigor of the institution's doctoral education and the growing influence of its alumni in contemporary philosophical discourse.
Congratulations to all who participated and helped make PACT 2026 such a memorable gathering for IDSVA! A special thank you to Professors Chris Lauer, Timothy Freeman, and Celia T. Bardwell-Jones for their generosity, hospitality, and, above all, for so much aloha!