LASER Talk: The Need to Know

Photographs of three speakers on a gray and white background with words about science, art, and technology

As always, we have existed within a framework of small biological things that impact us as humans. But now, it feels as though we are thrust into a need-to-know situation and many people feel as though they are being fed tainted or half of the information. Why are some people feeling that they are being lied to or that the information they are receiving is incorrect in some way? Why do we need to understand these very small biological entities that reside within us? From our more intimate world of friends and family to our global communities, we are impacted by the small biological systems within and between all of us. What is the difference between cells and viruses? Why are we in this pandemic predicament and how can we avoid more in the future? And how does art inform and elucidate these questions?

Join Human Cell Atlas curator Dr. Suzy O'Hara, molecular virologist Arvind Varsani and News Co/Lab managing director Kristy Roschke for a Leonardo LASER talk on microbiology and misinformation at The Need to Know: Small Things, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, from 9–10:30 a.m. MST on Zoom. Moderated by Pamela Winfrey.

To learn more and register, visit our website at https://leonardo.info/laser-talks-at-tempe-the-need-to-know.

About the Speakers

Suzy O’Hara is a Research Fellow at University of Sunderland and the Project Curator for One Cell At A Time, a public engagement project for The Human Cell Atlas. The Human Cell Atlas is a pioneering, multidisciplinary, global research project that aims to map every cell type in the human body, from development to old age. This will transform our understanding of biology and disease and could revolutionize the way illnesses are diagnosed and treated. A truly global initiative, there are now more than 2,000 HCA members, from 75 countries around the world: https://www.humancellatlas.org. One Cell At A Time brings together art, science and diverse local communities to explore the science of the Human Cell Atlas, as well as attitudes and concerns surrounding the public perception of tissue and data donation for research in new and creative ways.

Arvind Varsani is a molecular virologist who works across ecosystems from plants to animals and from the tropics to the Antarctic. His research uses a combination of traditional virology, microscopy (including transmission electron microscopy), molecular and cellular biology techniques in conjunction with modern sequencing techniques, synthetic biology and bioinformatics to characterize viruses and understand their dynamics.

Kristy Roschke is the managing director of the News Co/Lab at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The Lab works to advance media literacy through journalism, education and technology. Through existing research and partnerships, the Lab experiments with new ways to increase public understanding of how news works, helping people better find, understand, act upon and create credible news and information and share it with integrity.

About Leonardo and LASER Talks

Fearlessly pioneering since 1968, Leonardo serves as THE community forging a transdisciplinary network to convene, research, collaborate and disseminate best practices at the nexus of arts, science and technology worldwide. Leonardo serves a network of transdisciplinary scholars, artists, scientists, technologists and thinkers, who experiment with cutting-edge, new approaches, practices, systems and solutions to tackle the most complex challenges facing humanity today.

As a not-for-profit 501(c)3 enterprising think tank, Leonardo offers a global platform for creative exploration and collaboration reaching tens of thousands of people across 135 countries. Our flagship publication, Leonardo, the world’s leading scholarly journal on transdisciplinary art, anchors a robust publishing partnership with MIT Press; our partnership with ASU infuses educational innovation with digital art and media for lifelong learning; our creative programs span thought-provoking events, exhibits, residencies and fellowships, scholarship and social enterprise ventures.

LASER Talks are a program of international gatherings that bring artists, scientists, humanists and technologists together for informal presentations, performances and conversations with the wider public. The mission of LASER is to encourage contribution to the cultural environment of a region by fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and opportunities for community building.

To learn more, visit our website at http://leonardo.asu.edu.

Jake Friedman, Public Engagement Coordinator
Seize the Moment
480-727-3973
jake.friedman@asu.edu
http://bit.ly/SeizetheMomentASU
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