Art/Science Initiative at University of Chicago

“ This is what the painter, the poet, the speculative philosopher, and the natural scientist do, each in his own fashion. Each makes this cosmos and its construction the pivot of his emotional life, in order to find in this way the peace and security which he cannot find in the narrow whirlpool of personal experience. ”

—Albert Einstein

Check out their video on their joint speaker series March, 2011

Creating Distinctive Collaborations

The cross fertilization between the arts and science is emerging as a dynamic new intellectual endeavor. How can each of these respective disciplines enrich and influence the other’s culture of inquiry, working methods and forms of creative investigation? The Arts|Science Initiative seeks to actively pursue these ideas, explore the crosscurrents where new disciplinary exchange is taking place, and advance a distinctive collaborative research agenda.

A University-wide endeavor, the Arts|Science Initiative was formed in partnership with the Reva and David Logan Center for Creative and Performing Arts and Provost’s Office, with the support of the Divisions of the Biological and Physical Sciences and the Office of the Vice President for Research and for National Laboratories.

Scholarship—Practice—Innovation

To break new ground and probe big questions, both artists and scientists know they must travel across disciplines and venture into unknown territories. This pioneering spirit of collaborative research and teaching environments which transcend academic borders is integral to the University and its mission. The Arts|Science Initiative will contribute to this groundbreaking culture, and support the ongoing development of transformative ideas, novel constellations of academic research, and creative innovation.

Opportunities for Exploration & Research

The Arts|Science Initiative will launch with sponsoring the Arts|Science Graduate Student Collaboration Grant. This is a pilot program to support teams of two or more graduate students, with at least one in the arts and one in the sciences, who work together to investigate a subject from the perspectives offered by their disciplines. Other programs in the planning stage aim to spark conversations among faculty and students that critically engage science and the arts in a broad spectrum of areas including astronomy and astrophysics, biology, chemistry, computer and information science, creative writing, literature, mathematics, media studies, medical imaging, music, physics, theater, as well as visual arts.

To learn more, http://arts.uchicago.edu/arts_science/

contact Julie Marie Lemon.