Here is are some fun not strictly astronomy, but strictly academic things that I have done: - Being In Time is an original work composed by Judith Shatin of the McIntire School of Music that premiered April 26, 2015 at the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville, Va. The piece explores the concepts of time and place, more specifically how the combine to enrich the music performed by ensemble. While the piece itself was scored, the visuals and electronic sounds were controlled dynamically by the movements of the conductor using a kinect controller.
I spent several weeks obtaining time-lapse photography at the Fan Mountain Observatory -- an example of which can be seen here. The images were used to create video that formed the bulk of the visual backdrop for the composition. It was an amazing experience that combined my love of the night sky, my passion for photography, and the years I spent in the (still young!) University Bands program at the University of Virginia.
- The Forum for Interdisciplinary Dialogue is an interdisciplinary conference for students, faculty, and community members from around the globe held biannually by the Jefferson Fellows and the Jefferson Scholars Foundation at the University of Virginia. While a Jefferson Fellow, I was outspoken in my support of this initiative and served as a leader in the organization and execution of two Forums.
- 2012: Fact, Fiction, & Supposition
 [Call for Papers] Societies and individuals negotiate the boundaries between fact, fiction and supposition on a daily basis. These concepts affect the perception and pursuit of knowledge, cultural constructs, and creative practice. Yet our information is often far from complete, so our notions of truth tend to be shaped by individual experience or influenced by some outside authority. But, what is fact? How is knowledge established, evaluated, and disseminated? As sources of information multiply in today’s increasingly globalized world, how do we navigate competing voices?
I was the graphic designer, lead web guru, and a member of the organizing committee for this *fantastic* exploration of the manipulation of knowledge by disparate sources. The keynote address was given by Phil Plait a.k.a. The Bad Astronomer -- and, as UVA alumnus, a really fun reunion between him, his professors, and even his colleagues. - 2010: Icons & Iconoclasm
 [Call for Papers] In Iconology: Image, Text, Ideology, W. J. T. Mitchell suggests that a blind listener might notice patterns in the way we interpret images that we are too immersed in our visual culture to recognize. We invite scholars and performers in all fields to submit proposals exploring the many ways in which we transform images into icons and criticize their iconic status. Scholars from different fields might interpret the terms “image,” “icon” and “iconoclasm” in very different ways. We hope scientists can learn from humanists, social scientists from business people, and lawyers from performance artists. Grounded in the theories and politics of our disciplines, we might each serve as a blind observer for another scholar’s engagement with icons and iconoclasm.
I served as the Chair of the organizing committee, as well as being graphic designer and web guru for this look into how we interpret the world around us via dramatically different lenses.
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