Overview: Brown Symposium XXXVI The Brown Symposium in 2014 will examine the scientific foundations and the human dimensions of healing, their interaction, and how both influence the practice of medicine in the 21st century. Six outstanding speakers and an artist will participate in the symposium. The Brown Symposium at Southwestern University The Brown Symposium is presented by Southwestern University on an annual basis. Open to the public without charge, the symposium is funded through an endowment established by The Brown Foundation, Inc., of Houston, Texas, for professorships at the University. The symposia are designed to enhance the effectiveness of the work for which the endowed professorships were established. Each symposium presents topics in one of the broad areas of study represented by the chairholder.