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On July 26, Dr. Arturo Quintero Ferrer, assistant professor of biology at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, presented during an educators’ panel at the 2024 San Diego Comic Convention (Comic-Con International) at the San Diego Convention Center. Comic-Con International is an annual multicultural event representing artists from around the world, with attendance exceeding 130,000 in recent years.

During the panel “Cultural Appreciation vs. Cultural Appropriation, Round Two,” Dr. Quintero Ferrer likened a multicultural society to a tapestry of diverse cultures, urging engagement with and learning from each other. He explained that true cultural appreciation involves understanding customs, language and traditions, which foster meaningful collaborations. In contrast, cultural appropriation leads to misinformation and misrepresentation.

“Presenting at Comic-Con International put UAM on the radar of the many hundreds of attendees at the panel,” Dr. Quintero Ferrer said. “Many of these attendees were professionals, educators, artists and potential students eager to learn more about the UAM School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, the city of Monticello and UAM as a whole.”