PRAx believes that joining the insights of humanities scholars, artists, and STEM researchers is critical to our cultural well-being and to the advancement of solutions to grand challenges. Faculty research and cross-disciplinary projects supported by the Mary Jones and Thomas Hart Horning Endowment foster innovation and experimentation around timely global topics connecting humanities, arts, engineering and science.

The Horning Initiative centers on an annual theme launched by a major exhibition in the fall term. Additional programming includes lectures, talks, symposia, performing arts events, curriculum and more.

In 2025-26, we explore Artificial Intelligence as our annual theme through a variety of performances, exhibitions, conversations and events. And in 2026-27, we turn our attention to Polar Regions. In 2024-25, our theme was How to Carry Water.