So here is something neat: I was recently appointed a Senior Researcher at the UCLA Art |Sci Center. I’m currently working on a community website for the Leonardo Education Forum, and organization focused on promoting the intersections of art, science and technology– particularly in educational contexts.
Here is a brief for the project:
How do individual perspectives and group identities impact the development of diverse collaborative networks such as those exemplified by the Leonardo Education Forum? The Leonardo Education Forum is composed of educators, artists, scientists, designers, historians and students from many regions of the world and of diverse ages, backgrounds and perspectives. The main objective of the research is to create an online portal for individuals and groups to find common ground through which they can develop interactions and perspectives that will allow them to establish long-term and robust collaborative and interdisciplinary relationships. Diversity refers not only to the disciplinary affiliations that characterize, for example, artists, scientists, historians, sociologists and designers, but also to different age distributions, regional, and language-based perspectives in addition to the opportunities afforded by differences in socio-technical networks.
We endeavor to create a space that shares events and opportunities for individuals to identify and take part in–i.e. to model behavior across time and space. There is a social networking aspect that seeks to make visible that spaces and regions in which these people, events and opportunities are available so as to extend an existing global network of interactions and perspectives on the relationships of art and science. In particular, we are interested in making best-practices in projects and pedagogy visible and available for students and educators that seek to establish methodology for cross-fertilization among disciplines. Of particular concern are areas of technology whose relationship with individuals is complex and where solutions tend to be controversial (e.g. nanotechnology, climate change, genetic engineering, analysis of human behavior, etc). These tend to be spaces where the interactions among diverse domains are both most necessary and less clearly articulated. They are also areas in which the Leonardo Education Forum can provide creative models for these interactions.
The common space at the Center for Complex Networks Research allows for group interaction, impromptu exchanges, and reception of visitors. Lunch, printing, library, and coffee all converge near conference rooms and shared offices.
See-through walls at the Center for Complex Networks Research allow behavior to be observed while keeping conversations in common areas from interrupting focus. Shared offices help maintain an additional level of cohesion among labmates.
Here is a sketch I made showing the locations and extent of intellectual property claims on 22 chromosomes and the X and Y. These data are from 2005. The extent is larger today.
November 16, 2007 at 2:27 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Subject: National Academy of Sciences: call for artist proposals Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:30:39 +0200
http://www7.nationalacademies.org/arts/NAS_Building_Restoration_Art_Proj ect.html National Academy of Sciences Building Restoration Art Project
The Office of Exhibitions and Cultural Programs (OECP) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is now accepting proposals from artists for a site-specific work to be installed on or near the NAS building during its upcoming building restoration project. For more than 25 years, the National Academy of Sciences has provided world-class art exhibitions that explore the nexus of art, science, medicine, and technology to the Washington, D.C. community. Beginning in the middle of 2009, the historic home of the National Academy of Sciences (2101 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C.) - including its exhibition spaces - will close for approximately two years for restoration. This project provides an opportunity for the NAS to use the exterior of the building and its grounds as an art installation site. For more information about the building and its history, click here.
Goals of the installation: * Engage the public by drawing attention to the restoration of the historic building. * Provide a venue for an exploration of ideas pertaining to visual culture, science, and technology.
Preference will be given to proposals that: * Understand and use the temporal nature of the installation. * Creatively take into consideration the evolving nature and restrictions of a construction site (scaffolding, equipment, etc.). * Creatively explore the intersection of art, science, medicine, or technology. * Relate to the NAS role in the history of science as context for an art installation. * Take into consideration that the site is on the National Mall and may be subject to restriction of the DC government and or the National Park Service.
Proposals should include: * A project outline and artist’s statement * An artist’s bio and CV * An estimated budget to execute the project
Proposals should be postmarked no later than April 1, 2008. The NAS will notify those submitting material of the status of their proposal by email on or before June 1, 2008. All proposal material will be returned to applicants. Proposals may be submitted by email or postal mail to:
JD Talasek Director Office of Exhibitions and Cultural Programs National Academy of Sciences 500 5th Street, NW Washington DC, 20001 202-334-3104 fax 202-334-1690 jtalasek@nas.edu www.nas.edu/arts
