Little Conference on Big Bioethics

South Dakota State University will be hosting the Little Conference on Big Bioethics, September 17-19, 2026. The conference welcomes scholars interested in ethical issues as they emerge in or are related to theoretical and applied biological science, including work in medical ethics, genetic ethics, environmental ethics, ethics of biology and biotechnology, neuroethics, ethics of psychology, bioethics and law, experimental bioethics, and ethics-related work in philosophy of biology, philosophy of medicine, and philosophy of health.  

The conference includes the Annual Bioethics Lecture, featuring Leslie Francis (University of Utah) on Friday, September 18.  

The conference is located in beautiful Brookings, South Dakota, a small community 45 minutes north of Sioux Falls. Questions regarding the conference may be sent to Tony Smith at [email protected]

Call for Papers

Both paper and panel proposals are welcome. For full consideration, proposals for individual papers will consist of an anonymized abstract (500-1000 words) and a separate title page which includes the title of the proposed paper, author name(s), institution, and contact information for the lead author. Each paper presentation should be 20 minutes in length. 

Panel proposals will include an anonymized abstract (500-1000 words) and a separate title page including the names and institutions of panelists and contact information for the panel organizer. Panels may consist of 3-5 members. Panel sessions will be 1.5 hours in length.  

Undergraduate students are invited to submit abstracts for an undergraduate paper session. Undergraduate paper proposals should follow the same guidelines as those outlined for individual papers above. 

Further information about the conference, including the portal to submit a proposal and information regarding registration may be found at the conference website.