For the academy’s “One Truth, Many Lies” program, I presented a lecture entitled “Repurposed Materials” on the subject of the human microbiome, endosymbiotic theory and its poetic implications for our perceptions of self. I also led a workshop where visitors assembled contraption shadow puppets inspired by microorganisms from an array of household items and random objects. Things living inside of things living inside of things. That’s the idea. Anyhow. Ever tried to explain what cells and genetics are to a group of children, adults and senior citizens at the same time? Not too smart and not too dumb but clear enough so you can move on to explaining how nudibranchs absorb some of the abilities of the animals they eat? At least I think they do. Anyhow. Science is super important.
In 2013, I was selected for the TED Fellowship program. My talk was on the art of winging it, which is a bit of a through-thread in my work. Making use of one’s immediate resources to do what needs getting done.
