Conversations Before
Midnight
NOVEMBER 12TH, 2024
The Bulletin's 2024 annual gathering
On November 12th, join us for dinner and a reception at the University Club of Chicago where we will be hosting Conversations Before Midnight, the Bulletin’s annual signature fundraising event.
Convening a week after the US elections, Conversations Before Midnight will allow attendees to come together as a community and discuss what the results mean for our collective future.
In addition to hearing remarks from Featured Speaker David Ignatius, we plan to honor outgoing President and CEO Rachel Bronson and recognize her 10 years of service to the Bulletin.
The conversations continue off the main stage with an audience of about 250 curious-minded attendees, many of whom are civic and scientific leaders, including those who set the Doomsday Clock.
Schedule
5:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Cocktail reception
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Dinner program featuring speakers below
Featured Speaker David Ignatius
Ignatius is a prize-winning columnist for the Washington Post and has been covering the Middle East and the CIA for nearly four decades. Ignatius joined the Post in 1986 as editor of its Sunday Outlook section. In 1990, he became foreign editor, and in 1993, assistant managing editor for business news. He began writing his column in 1998 and continued during a three-year stint as executive editor of the International Herald Tribune in Paris.
Bulletin Executive Chair Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald Brown Jr.—widely known as Jerry—served four terms as governor of California. Brown began his career in public service in 1969 as a trustee for the LA Community College District and became California Secretary of State in 1970 and Governor of California in 1974 and 1978. After his governorship, Brown lectured and traveled widely, practiced law, served as chairman of the state Democratic Party, and ran for president.
Rieser Award Recipient
Emily Strasser
Strasser is an author and Professor of the Practice, English, at Tufts University. Her first book, Half-Life of a Secret, traces her journey to reckon with the legacy of her grandfather’s work building nuclear weapons in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Her writing has appeared in Ploughshares, Catapult, Guernica, Colorado Review, and Gulf Coast, among others, and she was the presenter of the 2020 BBC podcast “The Bomb.”
Outgoing Bulletin President and CEO Rachel Bronson
Bronson assumed her role as President and CEO of the Bulletin in February 2015, following Kennette Benedict’s successful 10-year tenure. Under her leadership, the Bulletin has expanded considerably: its budget and staff have more than doubled and the organization has seen a seven-fold increase in audience, reaching 6.4 million unique visitors to its website in 2023. At Conversations Before Midnight, we will honor the nearly 10 years Bronson dedicated to strengthening the Bulletin and welcome the next CEO.
The University Club of Chicago
Conversations Before Midnight will take place at a historic building with an inspiring legacy that is located in downtown Chicago, IL.
Originally founded by a group of students who wanted to create a space for the study of art and literature to flourish, the creation of the University Club of Chicago dates back to 1887.
As a nonprofit based in Chicago, the legacy of this location aligns with the Bulletin's long history in the city.
A statement from the artist who created this year's event artwork
Lovely Umayam
Founder and chief creative producer for Bombshelltoe, nuclear nonproliferation expert, and Bulletin contributor.
"I am honored to create this artwork to express what this publication means to me as a contributor and reader. The Bulletin is a trove of knowledge — a layering of stories, historical accounts, and scientific data over decades — all towards harnessing technology for the common good. The Bulletin archive was my main source of inspiration; using articles and covers featuring topics like climate change, nuclear risk, biosecurity, and disruptive technologies, I created a landscape mosaic that evokes the interweaving of art, words, and ideas."
Learn about past annual gatherings
Conversations Before Midnight 2023
For our 2023 virtual gathering, the Bulletin was thrilled to feature award-winning and Academy Award-winning director Christopher Nolan in a keynote conversation with our moderator and audience.
Following the keynote, attendees joined several high-level breakouts with world-renowned experts on topics including nuclear risk, climate change, AI, and biosecurity. For both the keynote conversation and the breakouts that followed, attendees had the opportunity to engage with speakers directly. Guests who purchased and attended a virtual table reconnected with their group before the end of the program.
Conversations Before Midnight 2022
Conversations Before Midnight 2022 gathered international members of the Bulletin community. This virtual experience engaged table guests and experts in small-group discussions on topics of nuclear risk, climate change, disruptive technologies, and biosecurity.
Keynote conversations featured an on-the-ground update with Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko in conversation with Bulletin board member Melissa Harris and Ploughshares Fund president Emma Belcher in conversation with Bulletin editor-in-chief John Mecklin.
With the event only a few days away, the ticketing form is closed. If you are still interested in attending, reach out to us at [email protected].
Questions about the event?
All event-related questions can be directed to Marina Barbera, the Bulletin's advancement services coordinator.
Thank you to our event sponsors!
Platinum Sponsors
Paul Francis and Lee Francis
David Kuhlman and Martha Esch
Joan and James Shapiro
Gold Sponsors
The Crown Family
William and Eleanor Revelle
Lynne and David Weinberg
Silver Sponsors
Kennette Benedict and Robert Michael
John Bremen and Lara Frohlich
The Bronson and Matthews Families
Robert LoPrete and David Germaine
Steve Ramsey and Ann Jones
Richard and Ellen Sandor Family Foundation
Bronze Sponsors
Stephanie and William Woodson