"A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have." – Douglas Adams, Chapter 3, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations Lifelong Learning and Alumni in Technology

Join us in celebration of Towel Day for a lively virtual panel discussion exploring the enduring relevance of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy in our rapidly evolving digital world. Moderated by artificial intelligence and cybersecurity expert Alex Sharpe, Engr '95, this conversation brings together digital transformation and AI experts CAPT. Bill Kirst, A&S '00, Kate Sperber, A&S '95, and Efrem Epstein, A&S '90.

Together, the panel dives into how Douglas Adams' iconic sci-fi satire anticipated many of the questions we face today around technology, information, and disruption. Towel Day honors the legacy of Douglas Adams. Fans worldwide carry a towel—a nod to the book's beloved guide—to show their appreciation for his wit, imagination, and insight into the human (and technological) condition.

Twenty-five years after Douglas Adams death, his ideas on politics, the internet and space exploration continue to be discussed, and his ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything being “42”, have seeped deep into public consciousness. Now, celebrate Adams’s startling wit, unexpected wisdom, and lasting legacy with the new audiobook, Douglas Adams: The Ends of the Earth, an immersive journey into the mind of the visionary writer.