Dave & Charissa: Week 17

Dave's update:

Extending the Conversation

As we approach the end of The Bridge virtual residency program organized by the SciArt Center of New York, I am sure that all three pairs of participants are finalizing their projects. Charissa and I are. We are excited to soon present Gut Instinct, our virtual exhibition focused on the gut microbiome, to the people attending the SciArt Center symposium in February and to a wider online audience. It will be fun for Charissa and me to talk about what we have learned from each other. It will be interesting to hear about the experiences of the other participants. But, at least for me, the impending end of our residency raises a new question. What comes next?
 
As stated on the SciArt Center website, The Bridge virtual residency program was designed, "with the ultimate goal of bridging the gulf between the sciences and the creative humanities." Certainly, that noble goal cannot be fully achieved within a four month period of time. So what comes next? How do the collaborations begun during the residency continue?
 
Just a few days ago, Charissa and I received a partial answer to this question. We have been invited to present our work at Critical Juncture, a conference being held in April, 2016 at Emory University. This conference is designed to explore the intersections of race, gender, and disability, and the specific theme of the 2016 conference is "Representations of the Body." During our presentation at this conference, we will share with a new audience how scientists and artists view the gut microbiome. More importantly, we will share with the participants how each of us has benefited from our interdisciplinary collaboration.
 
In what ways will our collaboration evolve after the Critical Juncture conference? Only time will tell. For now, at least, we know what comes next.