Our bioethics conference will continue a legacy of bioethics conferences organized by students, for the dual purpose of creating a student bioethics forum and advancing the field of bioethics. In February of 1999, students Princeton University organized and hosted the First National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference. The success of this conference prompted the Second National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference hosted by the University of Virginia in the spring of 2000.

At this second conference, a forum was held to determine the host institutions for the upcoming undergraduate bioethics conferences. After reviewing proposals from many institutions, a panel of students representing these institutions decided that the Third National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference would be hosted by the University of Notre Dame in the spring of 2001, the Fourth by Emory University in the fall of 2001, and the Fifth by Boston University in the spring of 2002.

Each new conference builds upon the ideas established by past conferences, while adding a fresh perspective, both maintaining continuity and encouraging growth in undergraduate bioethics. This continuous growth of undergraduate bioethics parallels, broadens, and plays an active role in the ongoing development of bioethics as a field.