Education and Outreach

This morning was the education and outreach plenary, with descriptions of how the group is engaging undergrads and even high school students. I emailed along a proposal of my own (grad students create a web-based "poster session" describing their thesis, aimed at a high-school physics level) which met with initial enthusiasm (the coordinator is not a grad student :-) ).

The last talk of the morning session was "ArtScience in the Development of Quasar (an interactive sound and light sculpture)". Quasar is some kind of art installation next door made of optical strands and ... well, they said "The main body of a Quasar installation is designed as an immersive landscape that forms a visually striking array of crystalline elements and fibre optic strands, which are supported by an intricate metallic substructure inspired by quantum loops." Hosale and Crettaz began by "explaining" how they integrated the universes of art, science, and philosophy. I thought science was natural philosophy using the art of mathematics, but maybe I'm naive. Crettaz (?) told us of how one of his heroes worked with Le Corbusier, which I suppose is a recommendation in some circles. He said the curves of Quasar were inspired by gravity bending light. They showed photos of it, but I suppose you have to be there. At night.

An "Imax"-type movie should be out in September, and the representative from the Milwaukee Public Museum showed some raw footage. We all sincerely hope that the name will not be "Ghost Catchers".

The science parallel sessions mixed the dull and the interesting, often in the same talk. There was a lot going on I hadn't heard about.