As a team, Penn & Nura bring a unique and refreshing perspective, analyzing and unpacking the interplay of media and social science. Together they seek to explore how we are having conversations both with those in our immediate circles, and also with the wider society. They are eager to engage in a constructive dialogue exploring how to shift our style of discourse from one of contention to one of cohesion and collaboration.

Penn Badgley is an actor, director, producer and writer in television & film. Known most commonly for his roles in Gossip Girl and YOU, he has been working as a professional in media for over 25 years and is seeking to engage in discourses around the influence of media on young people, particularly in the area of love and relationships. Penn is also the co-founder of Ninth Mode, a production company which premiered PODCRUSHED, a podcast focusing on the period of adolescence as an opener to deeper conversations about youth and formative experiences.

Psychotherapist Nura Mowzoon has been helping couples and individuals with their relationships for more than a decade. She holds a B.S. in Family Studies & Child Development, and a Master’s degree and Ph. D. in Marriage & Family Therapy. Nura is also an instructor at Arizona State University, where she teaches courses in the social sciences, with a primary focus on dating, love, interpersonal conflict, and communication. Beyond the classroom, she frequently is a guest speaker at various organizations, sharing her expertise on these subjects to empower individuals in cultivating stronger relationships with one another.

This event is sponsored by the Late Night and Weekend Programs Fund at the University of Iowa.