Artists and designers play an increasingly key role in translating and interpreting advances in the sciences. For the first time in its 25 year history, SEP made room in their 2015 cohort for a Washington Arts educator...(me!).
This past Spring, I was selected to participate in the 2015 Science Education Partnership (SEP). Through this work, I am interested in creating avenues for communicating the educational aspects of scientific research in the lab as well as highlighting the role of artist and designer in communicating scientific phenomena. Customarily, the SEP program is set up for K-12 science teachers in Washington State. My Cornish colleague, Renee Agatsuma, suggested that I apply anyway...as we have both been working to develop interdisciplinary coursework focused on the intersections of art and science.
Beth Gatewood and Gen Tremblay working on an SEP Transformation experiment
I have been selected by scientist, Shani Frayo, who works in the Ollie Press Lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, which is devoted to the investigation of novel treatments for hematologic malignancies including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma. This assignment is particularly personally meaningful for me because these were the diseases that my father and sister had. My involvement with this yearlong professional development program will broaden my understanding of current methods, discoveries and challenges in the field of molecular biology and cancer research. With this deeper understanding of the field, I will be positioned to translate this new knowledge and create public scholarship opportunities, ignite dialogue and meaningful collaborations across art, science, and engineering and medicine disciplines, in the service of the public good.
“Learning science is like learning a foreign language. By participating in the Science Education Partnership, teachers explore a foreign country; they get immersed. After a couple of weeks, they have begun to think like the ‘locals’ and see how the research culture really works. As a result, their students gain a better understanding of what science really is and how it influences their daily lives.”
– Nancy Hutchison, Director, Science Education Partnership, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
My experience as an SEP Participant gave me a foundation in molecular biology techniques and concepts and broadened my understanding of current methods, discoveries and challenges in the field of molecular biology and cancer research. The hands on experience and the opportunity to build relationships with mentor scientists as well as other educators inspired me to create creative and relevant pedagogical approaches to the curriculum across the artistic disciplines (art, design, dance, theater, music, humanities) I am developing at Cornish. It also has created a pathway for relevant interdisciplinary educational opportunities for our students.
In my role as Resident Research Fellow at Cornish College of the Arts, I am working to create access for artists and designers to the frontiers of molecular and biomedical science. In addition to my own lab work, I was able to explore the various imaging technologies used by researchers, and visiting as many of the labs as I could to learn about what the other 24 teachers are doing with their mentor scientists. Through my work at SEP, I hope to advocate for more SEAPs (Science Education & Arts Partnerships!) that could work in much of the same way that the SEP (Science Education Partnership) program does. Pairing scientists with practicing artists and designers who have the keen ability to ask different questions, convey excitement, and challenge results of their scientific inquiry. A catalyst for "citizen science".
I'm grateful to my colleague, Renee Agatsuma, for encouraging me to apply to the SEP program and to Nancy Hutchinson, who advocated on my behalf thoughout the proagram...and to Cornish College of the Arts for the Faculty Development Funding award supporting my participation in the program.