Art as Part of Science and Engineering Education?

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In this session, we integrate what we’ve learned from neuroscience, history, and experience to assert that scientists and engineers will be even more effective by doing—not just studying—visual arts as part of their formal educations. We discuss multiple benefits to this approach.

Dr. Stuart G. Walesh, PE

Neuroscience tells us that vision dominates our six senses of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, touching, and proprioception because seeing connects to the most parts of our brains. History teaches that the most creative/innovative results occur when someone sees—really sees, not just looks at—anomalies, connections, and possibilities. For example, scientist Isaac Newton saw the anomalous behavior of an apple and the moon and proclaimed the law of universal gravitation. Experience reveals that those of us who practice one of the visual arts develop enhanced observational capabilities; we see what others don’t. This webinar integrates what we learn from neuroscience, history, and experience to assert that scientists and engineers will be even more effective by doing—not just studying—visual arts as part of their formal educations. Three likely benefits are described.

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