Breakout Sessions
Tuesday, October 1, 12:45-1:45 p.m.
Join one of the following breakout sessions for an opportunity to learn from a Gustavus faculty member or member of the Gustavus network, about a sleep-related topic of particular interest to you. These small sessions will give you an opportunity to ask questions and talk with others.
Note: Only "Substances and Sleep: Alcohol, Cannabis, Nicotine, and Sugar" will be livestreamed.
1. "When Deep Sleep Falls upon Mortals" (Job 33:15): Sleep and the Bible
Many texts in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament discuss sleep. It is a site for encountering the divine or receiving wisdom through dreams. Lack of sleep accompanies sorrow or oppression, while good sleep may signal divine blessing. As in many other cultures, sleep is a metaphor for death. And even though the Bible insists that God does not sleep, some texts accuse God of falling asleep on the job by allowing injustice. These texts demonstrate that biblical writers understood the importance of sleep but also viewed it as a mystery at the limit of human perception.
Presenter: J. Blake Couey, Professor of Religion
Location: Beck Hall 111
2. Sleep and the Nobel Prize
Not waking up refreshed? You can download an app for that. What does that wild dream mean? There’s an app for that. Insomnia? There’s an app for that. In the same way there is an app for just about anything related to sleep, there has been a Nobel Prize for just about anything related to sleep. Wild dreams? There have been a half-dozen Nobel Prize studies that started with a dream. Take melatonin as a sleep aid? There was a Nobel Prize for melatonin. Use a white noise machine? There were two Nobel Prizes related to white noise (fun fact: one included pigeon poop). In this session, Tom Annesley will discuss unusual intersections of sleep and Nobel Prizes. He will also introduce recent sleep-related discoveries that deserve consideration for a Nobel Prize.
Presenter: Tom Annesley ’75, Active Emeritus Professor of Chemical Pathology, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan
Location: Cec Eckhoff Alumni Hall North, Johnson Student Union
3. Sleep in Ancient Roman Culture
When did the Romans go to sleep and wake up? How did they feel about naps? What were their beds and bedrooms like? Did they wear pajamas? What did they do in bed before they fell asleep? This breakout session will explore ancient Roman attitudes and practices relating to sleep.
Presenter: Matt Panciera, Associate Professor of Greek, Latin and Classical Studies
Location: Beck Hall 201
4. Substances and Sleep: Alcohol, Cannabis, Nicotine, Caffeine, and Sugar
Many people believe alcohol and cannabis promote better sleep. Are they wrong? Alcohol and cannabis may help a person fall asleep but in the same evening disrupt good restorative sleep. Is it worth the price? Medical conditions, age, time of use, method of use, and other prescription and non-prescription drugs are all contributing and confounding factors.
Presenter: Peg O'Connor, Professor of Philosophy and Sponberg Professor of Ethics
Location: Cec Eckhoff Alumni Hall South, Johnson Student Union
This session will be livestreamed. Find the handout for the session here.
5. How Do Animals Sleep?
When we think of sleep, we probably think of the human pattern--a daily long block of unconscious time. But in the huge diversity of animal species we find many different patterns--from penguins dozing for a few seconds at a time to seals that may sleep with only half their brain to some reptiles and amphibians that seem never to sleep at all. Some animals seem to "sleep" while swimming or walking. What does all this tell us about the functions of sleep and its evolution?
Presenter: Jon Grinnell, Associate Professor of Biology
Location: Wallenberg Auditorium, Nobel Hall of Science
6. Ovaries, the Menopausing Brain, and the Struggle to Sleep
The biochemical changes associated with the menopause transition begin when people are in their 40s and often lead to sleep challenges ranging from mild to severe. What does the latest scientific research say about why this happens and, more importantly, what can people in perimopause and beyond do to retrain their brains to sleep well?
Presenter: Siri Erickson, Founder and Coach, The Compassionate Way
Location: Nobel Hall of Science Room 1413
7. Self Compassion and Sleep
Getting a good night of sleep can be a challenge, with all kinds of obstacles getting in the way of our ability to fall or stay asleep. Beyond taking medication, what options are there for getting better sleep? One emerging area of psychological research has examined how self-compassion, or treating ourselves with kindness when facing difficulties, could help us sleep more soundly. In this session we will dive into the latest psychological research to better understand how a little self-kindness could enhance your sleep quality!
Presenter: Patrick Heath, Assistant Professor in Psychological Science
Location: Beck Hall 301
8. Sleep Deprivation in the Workplace
When you check your father into the operating room for critical heart surgery, the surgeon’s sleep deprivation might be the last thing that you are worried about. When you pass a truck on the highway, the three hours of sleep the driver enjoyed last night might seem like enough. You might not notice the stress-related insomnia of the teacher that greets your child at school every day. But on any given day, sleep deprivation is working to the detriment of millions of employees in all types of fields. It hurts employees’ creativity, motivation, and physical and mental health; businesses’ retention, efficiency and performance—ultimately leading to enormous costs for society at large.
Presenters: Jeff Owen, Associate Professor of Business and Economics; Tara Cadenhead, Assistant Professor of Business and Economics; and Angelika Loefgren, Assistant Professor of Business and Economics
Location: Beck Hall Room 101
9. What Dreams May Come
Across human cultures, dreams are variously seen as prototypes of imaginative thinking or story-making, as aspects of mental and physical health, as spiritual experiences, or as unique cognitive processes. In this workshop, we will briefly discuss some recent medical research into dreams, as well as literary and spiritual frameworks from a range of cultures. We will conclude with a journaling exercise meant to release your “dreamy” creativity and imagination; results can be shared or kept private, whatever feels comfortable for you!
Note: please bring a small notebook and writing implement to the session.
Presenter: Elizabeth Kubek, Faculty Director of Student Academic Success in Provost's Office and Professor in English
Location: Nobel Hall of Science Room 1412
10. Between Dreams: Paintings by Michon Weeks
This cycle of oil paintings explores mystical contemplation and spiritual awakening. Created intuitively without predetermined subjects, each work reflects the enigmatic nature of artistic experiences. Inspired by the artist’s waking visions, these paintings connect to themes of consciousness explored in the 2024 Nobel Conference. While dreams occur during sleep, these works emerge from a state of heightened awareness while awake, bridging the known and the unknown. Many works contain objects symbolizing the human desire to bridge earthly reality with the unknown: staircases, cars, floating figures, fountains, roadways, or lighthouses. These elements represent the yearning to journey between heaven and earth, the familiar and the unfathomable, reflecting humanity’s ongoing quest to understand and connect with realms beyond our immediate perception.
Michon Weeks, an artist with a BA from Iowa State University and an MFA from the University of Minnesota, is an associate professor of practice, at St. Olaf College. Her works have been featured in solo exhibitions at the Rochester Art Center and the Morrison Gallery,University of Minnesota, Morris, and in group exhibitions such as “Abstract Painting in MN: From 1930 to the Present” at the Minnesota Museum of American Art.
Schaefer Art Gallery Reception 12-2 p.m.
Gallery talk by the artist at 1 p.m.