7D Project and Reading 4: Science

For this project/reading you will work in groups of three to four. There is no separate science reading assignment, but in order to "solve" the project assignment everybody in the group has to read the readings. The project should explore a specific scientific inquiry wich you are introduced to by attending a lecture in any science department at UCSB (see links below). Your group will produce a project proposal not an actual project. The imagined project could be conceptual, digital, sculptural, performative, visual etc. Avoid illustrating the issues talked about in the lecture/magazine. The readings this period provides ways in which to think about how art can participate in and enrich scientific inquires. The project proposal should include: 1. Description of the project, how it will look/function, what materials it is made out of, how it is constructed, how do the audience experience or interact with the project etc. 2. Description of the conceptual significance of the project. In the readings you find many different ways that art projects can contribute to a scientific inquiry. Describe how your project does it. Include at least one explicit reference (with quote's) to 3 of the following articles: a, Jonah Lehrer "The Future of Science is Art?" (Seed, 2007) b, Natalie Jeremijenko and Lawrence Krauss Interview (Seed, 2007) c,Hans H Diebner "Performative Science" (excerpt from Performative Science and Beyond --Involving the Process in Research) (2006) d, Sian Ede "Ambiguities and Singularities" (excerpt from Art & Science) (2006) e, Stephen Wilson "Elaboration on the Approach of Art as Research" (excerpt from Information Arts) (2001) f, Ron Platt "Lab Results" (2002) (Use the other readings, which have a lot of examples of art projects, as a way to get ideas.) 3. Images such as charts, illustrations, sketches, and other materials such as sound files if relevant. 4. Links to external sites about the scientific inquiry you are dealing with. The proposal (approx. 1000 words) with images and other media files, should be turned into a web page. Link to the page from all the group members' home pages. IMPORTANT: Before first 'Science' section meeting (March 1/2): Together with 2-3 of your classmates (the groups should consist of 3-4 people), go to a lecture in any Science department at UCSB that seems interesting to you for any reason (see links below). It is very likely that the lectures are about topics that you don't know anything about. Don't let that discourage you. Just find some way to relate to the material presented in the lecture and let it inspire you. Don't get frustrated if you don't understand what is said. Just hang on to the bits that make you think about something interesting. Take notes, start thinking of a creative way of approaching whatever catches your interest. First week: If you have not done so, go to the science lecture with your group. Read the three readings before you go to the lecture so that you can more easily imagine how to approach the subject from an artistic point of view. Discuss your idea within your group, divide up the work. Write description, make diagrams, sketches, models, whatever materials you need to accurately present the project idea. Second Week: First section: Write description, make diagrams, sketches, models, whatever materials you need to accurately present the project idea. Second section: Present the project idea in class. The students and TA in the section should then together select the 3 most interesting projects to present in the lecture that week. Last Lecture March 11th: Selected group project presentations from the three sections. UCSB Science Departments Events Websites (You might be able to find other ones): Lifesciences: Biomolecular Science and Engineering Events Calendar (Click on "View all Calendars") Lifesciences: Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology Bren School of Environmental Science Environmental Studies Earth Science Geography Electrical Engineering Mechanical Engineering Physics Physics Grad Calendar Astro Physics Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics Center for Nano Technology in Society California Nano Systems Institute Chemistry Chemical Engineering Materials Computer Science Math Statistics and applied probability Economics Communication Political Science Psychology Science Journals/Magazines (can be found in the library and in bookstores): Discover Science News Popular Science Scientific American Scientific American Mind Science Nature

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