When disaster threatens all of humanity, which professor will make the cut to join the survivors?

Five UB faculty members from different disciplines will argue that he or she is worthy of the coveted final spot in the imaginary life raft set to sail to a new society at the ninth annual Life Raft Debate on March 4.

The debate, sponsored by the UB Honors College, will take place at 6 p.m. in 107 Capen Hall, North Campus.

After each faculty member has made his or her case, members of the audience will decide the winner. Light refreshments and snacks will be served in the Don Schack Student Lounge following the debate.

This year’s contestants:

• Shira Gabriel, associate professor, Department of Psychology.
• James Holstun, professor, Department of English.
• Andrew Hughes, assistant professor of teaching, Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
• Dietrich Kuhlmann, research professor, Department of Biostatistics.
• Johannes Nitsche, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Fresh off his win last year, Henry Louis Taylor Jr., professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, and founding director, Center for Urban Studies, will return in the role of devil’s advocate.

Serving as master of ceremonies will be Wendy Quinton, clinical associate professor, Department of Psychology, who won the debate in 2018 and was last year’s devil’s advocate.