Tulane University Ethics Bowl Team Wins Two Rounds at Regional Competition
Erika Cooperman | The Murphy Institute
View PDF

The Tulane University Ethics Bowl Program (TUEB) team, organized by Murphy's Center for Ethics, competed at the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (APPE) Regional Ethics Bowl on November 15, 2025 in Boston. Hosted by Northeastern University, the TUEB collegiate team won two out of three rounds against a field of 19 other teams.

Tulane’s team of five competitors deliberated a total of six complex cases spanning a wide range of public policy and ethical issues, including:

  • A Massachusetts bill proposing that incarcerated individuals be allowed to donate organs or bone marrow in exchange for sentence reductions.
  • Government interventions designed to curb overtourism.
  • Literal representation in casting within the film industry.
  • The conditions under which governments should withhold or withdraw humanitarian aid.

Congratulations to competitors Briana Brown, Kayla Cuva, Sania Islam, Mary Ochiai, and Beatriz De Castro Troncoso on a successful showing at the regional bowl! The Tulane team received high praise for their confidence, strong team synergy, and the clarity and impact of their arguments at the convening.

TUEB offers students and young professionals the chance to cultivate ethical understanding around complex, ambiguous, and often difficult-to-resolve issues, reinforcing key skills in democratic deliberation. Teams are scored on the clarity and organization of their presentations, the depth and rigor of their analyses, and their ability to consider and respond thoughtfully to alternative viewpoints. Unlike traditional debate, opposing teams are typically in broad agreement and must engage collaboratively and respectfully to succeed.

The TUEB team was accompanied and supported by Ethics Bowl coaches: Shoshana Primak (TUEB Coordinator and Philosophy PhD Candidate), Kuo Bian (Philosophy PhD Student), and Elijah Akinbode (Philosophy PhD Student); along with Murphy Institute Program Manager Erika Cooperman; and Teriece Reynolds, High School Teacher and former Ethics Bowl Director at McDonogh 35 High School. 

Looking ahead, TUEB intends to attend the 2026 National Bioethics Bowl hosted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health on April 11, 2026 and will host an invitational tournament at Tulane in the Spring. 

For more information about Tulane’s Ethics Bowl Program and how to join, please contact: