In May, I had the pleasure of attending the 2026 Cultural Evolution Society Conference (CES 2026) at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, Morocco.

I organized and chaired a special thematic session titled “From Theory to the World: Four Decades of Cultural Evolution”, celebrating the 40th anniversary of Robert Boyd and Peter Richerson’s seminal 1985 book, Culture and the Evolutionary Process. The panel brought together three of Rob Boyd’s former students, Joseph Henrich, Cristina Moya, and Sarah Mathew, alongside Rob Boyd himself to reflect on how the field has transformed from a provocative hypothesis into a unifying framework across the human sciences.

In my talk introducing and closing the session, I focused on the applied frontiers of cultural evolution. I discussed how these models are moving beyond academic theory to inform real-world policy and social design. They are also shaping decisions in domains ranging from education to global development, and demonstrating how cultural evolutionary frameworks can help design better futures.

My sincere thanks to Rob, Joe, Cristina, and Sarah for an incredible session, and to the Cultural Evolution Society, AIRESS, and UM6P for hosting a memorable conference!