NIU hosts 16th International Burma Studies Conference, Oct. 9-12
The NIU Center for Burma Studies is presenting the 16th International Burma Studies Conference, “Dealing With Legacies in Burma”, Thursday, October 9 through Sunday, October 12. Conference sessions will be held in the Holmes Student Center with some pre-conference events held at the NIU Art Museum Galleries in Altgeld Hall, Founders Memorial Library and the Pick Museum of Anthropology.
Registrations are still being accepted for NIU faculty, staff and students are still being accepted at centerforburmastudies.com/registration-2025-niu.html. These registrations do not include meals, but do include access to all of the conference informational sessions.
Pre-Conference Events
Thursday, October 9
Registration Check-In (noon to 7 p.m.)
Hotel at Holmes, HSC Ground Floor, Hotel Lobby
Walk-in Exhibit Tours (noon to 6 p.m.)
Legacies on Display: The forbidden and venerated arts of Burma
NIU Art Museum Galleries, Altgeld Hall
Re-imagine Thadingyut in the 21st Century (2 to 4 p.m.)
Co-creation of Burmese Lanterns by BISA students
Engaging Learning Class under the supervision of Dr. Lynn Herman and Vana Dakarian
71 North Partnership Studio, Lower Level, Founders Memorial Library
Co-sponsored with the Office for Innovation, Center for Southeast Asian Studies and Founders Memorial Library
University Libraries’ Donn V. Hart Southeast Asia Collection (5 to 6:30 p.m.)
Tour by Hao Phan, curator of the Southeast Asia Collection
(Registration required)
Founders Memorial Library, Fourth Floor
Co-sponsored with Founders Memorial Library
Legacies of Culture, Care and Access: The Myanmar Library Collection at NIU (5:45 to 6:45 p.m.)
Dr. Alicia Turner, York University
Library Gallery, First Floor, Founders Memorial Library
Co-sponsored with Founders Memorial Library and the Department of History, College Liberal Arts and Sciences
Conference Sessions
Friday, October 10
8:00 to 9:35 a.m. – Panels
9:40 to 10:00 a.m. – Coffee and Tea Break (Duke Ellington Ballroom – HSC main floor)
10:05 to 11:40 a.m. – Panels
Noon to 12:45 p.m. – Global Gardens Chicago: Cultivating Community, Healing and Culture in a Chicago Urban Farm – Talk, Location: James B. and Rosalyn L. Pick Museum of Anthropology, Cole Hall Room 114
1:00 to 1:30 p.m. – Opening Ceremony, Sandburg Auditorium, HSC
1:40 to 2 p.m. – Coffee and Tea Break (Duke Ellington Ballroom – HSC main floor)
2:05 to 4:40 p.m. – Panels
4:30 to 5:15 p.m. – Bringing Spirits to Life: A Journey Through Burmese Nat Traditions and Dance – Dance Performance, Location: Duke Ellington Ballroom, HSC main floor
5:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Exhibition Opening Reception – “Legacies on Display: The forbidden and venerated arts of Burma” – NIU Art Museum Galleries, Altgeld Hall
6:30 to 7 p.m. – Apertif (cash bar), Duke Ellington Ballroom, HSC main floor
7 to 8:30 p.m. – Dinner (cash bar closes, 7:45 p.m.), Duke Ellington Ballroom, HSC main floor
Saturday, October 11
7 to 9 a.m. – Breakfast, Duke Ellington Ballroom, HSC, main floor
8 to 9:55 a.m. – Panels
10 to 10:20 a.m. – Coffee and tea break, Duke Ellington Ballroom, HSC main floor
10:25 am. to Noon – Panels
12:05 to 1:05 p.m. – Lunch, Duke Elllington Ballroom, HSC main floor
1:10 to 2:45 p.m. – Panels
2:50 to 3:10 p.m. – Coffee and tea break, Ellington Ballroom, HSC main floor
3:15 to 5:10 p.m – Panels
5:30 to 6:00 p.m. – Apertif (cash bar), Altgeld Hall Ballroom
6:05 to 6:55 p.m. – Burmese Classical Dances and Songs (cash bar closed), Karen Culture Organization (KCOM) Chicago Troupe, Altgeld Hall Ballroom
7 to 8:30 p.m. – Burma Studies Gala Night Dinner (cash bar open until 7:45 p.m.), Altgeld Hall Ballroom
Sunday, October 12
7 to 9 a.m. – Breakfast, Duke Ellington Ballroom, HSC main floor
8 to 9:55 a.m. – Panels
10 to 10:20 a.m. – Coffee and tea break, Duke Ellington Ballroom, HSC main floor
10:25 to 11:40 a.m. – Panels
11:45 a.m. to Noon – Closing Remarks
