We are happy to announce that the CFP for the Cultivating Ensembles in STEM Education and Research (CESTEMER) 2019 conference is now open! Join us in New York City as we push the boundaries of what it means to be a scientist, performer, artist, or educator and how we can play at the intersections of our identities.
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Movement is created through choices we make on how we live, think, walk and work in the world. The choice may be simple, the impact unknown or unknowable. Yet, we can choose to move.
How do we grow the science community as an inclusive, creative, joyous and productive enterprise for those who choose to work in it?
To do improvisational theater together, one has to build an environment in which it is okay for adults to be silly and weird with one another. It is risky to play in professional settings. We work years on creating our professional character and to do something that is counter to that character is to take a risk. An important quality of risk-forward environments is being able to fail.
Neil Bardhan is a workshop leader and designer with improvscience. He has his own consulting company, Bardhan Consulting, in which he offers related, yet distinct, services.
I have always wanted to be a scientist in a position to counter the misuse of science or science-like studies. Although I did not know of his work at the time, I wanted to be my version of Clair Patterson (Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey). For me, there were two scientific “misuses” that shaped my desire for a scientific career: The Mismeasure of Man, by Stephen J.
I speak to diverse audiences around the country. One audience is the Africana Lecture Series led by Dr. Christina Baker at Sonoma State University (SSU). The series was created in memory of my father, LeVell Holmes, Ph.D., who began the Ethnic Studies program at SSU in 1968.
Science Communication: it’s a phrase that has developed into a field and a call to action within communities of science. Yet, many wonder and debate: what is science communication? The answer depends on who you ask and who you play/work with.
Seeking Innovation? Learn to play!
As I prepared my talk for Cracking the Workplace Communication Code with the Massachusetts Association of Women in Science, I came upon a wonderful surprise while looking for an example of small group authored papers from the 60's. The current discussion of "the future of research" calls for a return to a time of small labs and groups—a time when high caliber scientists, inspiring and collaborating with one another, produced exciting scientific breakthroughs.
For this innovative bi-annual conference, we always create an environment that is warm and curious—one that nurtures play and connection. This year, we seemed to create an experience of joy quickly. One participant arrived at the conference doors before they opened, saying, “I’m so excited—I can’t believe I found this.” As each person arrived, there seemed to be an expression of excitement and gratitude for simply being present.