Bio Art and Design

Schedule: Spring, See Syllabus Here

What does it mean to design nature, and how do artists and designers fit into the process of making machines from biology? How would you design nature? Bio Art and Design is a practice where humans work creatively with live tissues, bacteria, living organisms, and life processes. Using scientific processes such as biotechnology (including technologies such as genetic engineering, tissue culture, and cloning) the artworks and designs are produced in laboratories, galleries, or artists' studios. In this studio course we will explore shared and new territory between synthetic biology, art and design.

This 6-credit class is part of Art & Ecology at the University of New Mexico and takes advantage of a partnership with the BioHack Academy at the WAAG Society in Amsterdam and other partners in South-America, USA, Asia and Europe. The BioHack Academy is a unique international 10-week program during which participants build and use their own biolabs.

Design Thinking

Last session was September 27 at CCA Tank Garage where participants designed new solutions to energy problems.

Future sessions TBD

The process of Design Thinking has been recognized as a highly effective means of creating novel, client- and need-based solutions. Large organizations including the US Army, AirBnB, and IBM have turned to Design Thinking to find solutions that were not within their previous mode of thinking. These solutions can be used to transform the whole organization or simply create improved ways of doing business.

Design Thinking starts with a process of discovery in which the solver empathizes with the client and defines the root of the problem. Then, through an iterative process of ideation, creating prototypes, and testing, the problem solver and the client direct and redirect possible solutions until one addresses the client’s needs.

At Biocultura we subscribe to the Stanford d.school model and methods of teaching Design Thinking. In the past we have used this model to teach and inspire some of the brightest young scientists solving difficult problems at Los Alamos National Laboratory. These workshops are highly interactive and take approximately 1.5-2 hours to complete. Participants find them energizing and challenging to their current ways of thinking.

STEAM Communicators

Schedule: TBD

Like any skill, communication is greatly improved by thinking creatively about the process, planning ahead, and practicing often. This is especially important for those interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) because it is often difficult to explain the complexity or importance of the work. Our STEAM Communicators program offers training and networking opportunities to help participants develop their skills communicating with audiences of all ages.

Led by experienced science educators Liz Martineau and Gordon McDonough, STEAM Communicators practice techniques developed by Portal to the Public (PoP). This program is based on current research looking at the ways we learn through formal and informal education. PoP is supported by the National Science Foundation through their efforts to establish best-practices in science education and promote meaningful interactions between local experts and the public.

If you are interested in participating, please contact us or fill out the form below and let us know your availability so that we can schedule according to our participants' needs.

Our first STEAM Communicators event was August 11th, 2017. See pictures here!