It’s “Arts and Your Major” month

Arts Village Director Emily Kasprzak has curated a series of programs that illustrate how arts overlap and enhance STEM careers and studies. The Arts and Your Major series, created in collaboration with Arts NC State and the Libraries, feature guest speakers from across campus and beyond who will talk about how they use the arts in their work.

All events are free; some require pre-registration (see schedule below).

“Climate Change and the Arts:” a conversation with Dr. Chris Galik 
Wednesday, Nov. 8, 4:00 p.m., Hill Library, East Learning Lab B, 2112 
In his work The Great Derangement, the writer Amitav Ghosh speaks to “[g]lobal warming’s resistance to the arts.” Yet the arts have a vital role in helping society voice, frame, and comprehend the tectonic changes associated with global climate change. In this short workshop, we will explore how the arts interface with a constantly evolving technological, political, economic, and social landscape.
Pre-registration is required.

“Using Dance to Disseminate STEM Research,” Layla El-Khoury, doctoral candidate
Thursday, Nov. 9, 6:00 p.m., Hill Library Auditorium
Layla El-Khoury, a member of NC State’s State Dance Company, will discuss how the arts—and specifically dance—are an important tool to communicate STEM research. She will discuss the process of choreographing and performing her original dance piece titled "Force of Flows" which looks at the effect of streambank erosion. The event will conclude with a viewing of the piece.

“Cars: Irrational Art in Motion,” a discussion with Jason Torchinsky, co-founder of Autopian 
Friday, Nov. 10, 6:00 p.m., Hill Library, Fishbowl Forum
Cars are carefully engineered, designed, manufactured, and marketed things. They're also absolutely irrational, possibly the most irrational things we tend to pay a lot of money for. Writing about cars for a living requires a strong technical background, but also a surprising amount of art knowledge, art and art history, and an appreciation of art itself. A degree in Art History may not seem essential for a career in Automotive Journalism, but the truth is cars are a lot more like art than we want to admit. Art that hauls our butts and all the connected bits all around the city, but art nevertheless. This talk and open discussion will discuss the irrationality of cars, why a car is the best, most human-representative object to send to aliens, how cars are closer to fashion than you'd think, and why no one cries when they get rid of a fridge, but they'll weep when their old car is hauled away. And probably even more.

“Photography and Nature Science” with Dr. Matt Bertone
Monday, Nov. 13, 4:00 p.m., Hill Library, 2nd floor conference room, East Wing Room 2111
Join Dr. Matt Bertone as he discusses his use of digital macro photography techniques, with particular focus on the biological sciences. Students will be able to participate in a hands-on workshop that shows the complexities of macro photography.
Pre-registration is required.

“Using Art With Worldbuilding Purpose” with angela gay-audre
Tuesday, Nov. 14, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., AACC Gallery, Withersppon
African American Cultural Center Director angela gay-audre welcomes you to the celebration of Kwanzaa. This is a worldbuilding workshop that focuses on the Kwanzaa principle of Nia. Nia means purpose and is centered on creating collective energy to build and develop our communities so our people can be restored with the humanizing energy of greatness. Bring to this workshop something you have been working on in class, labs, or other work that you want to reimagine through art. During this workshop, we will expand art into every field and will create a community art piece that will be displayed at the Kwanzaa Feast of Faith.

“How Does It Mean? Chinese Arts and Culture with Coordinator of the Chinese Program,” with Associate Professor Nathaniel Isaacson
Wednesday, Nov. 15, 12:00-1:00 p.m., Holmes Hall 108
Join Professor Isaacson to examine how Chinese cinema produces meaning. From camera angles to special effects, lighting, sound, and dialogue, we examine how the art of cinema can be both globally recognizable and locally specific.
Pre-registration is required.

“Visual Arts in the Triangle: An Overview and where to Start as an Artist” with Kenneth Proseus
Thursday Nov. 16, 12:00-1:00 p.m., Holmes Hall 108
Join Kenneth Proseus, Events and Operations Manager for NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship, as well as a visual artist and co-owner of Raleigh’s 311 Gallery. Proseus has over a decade of experience exhibiting, installing, and selling his work and the work of others in the Triangle. Join him for a conversation on ways to get started on a career in the visual arts and how to reconcile the creativity of art with the challenge of business.
Pre-registration is required.