Oct. 22, 2012
This is part of the Entomology 1 and UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program course taught by Diane Ullman and Donna Billick, co-founders of the UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program.
“We welcome all members of the UC Davis community to participate, especially those in Insect Science, Design and Techno-Cultural Studies,” said Brady, the creator of the Insect News Network.
“I will be stepping beyond the standard boundaries of insect science into the emerging, unexplored territory of cultural entomology,” Brady said. “Since over 50 percent of the world's population now lives in cities-- and more than 250 million Americans live in or around urban areas -- a bold new interpretation of the human-insect interdependence is essential. There is ample evidence that this is already in the works: cultural entomology examines the microcosm in over 60 fields of human endeavor not traditionally examined by insect science.
“In this talk I will offer vivid examples in architecture, tattoos, grafitti, video games, digital design, media, fashion, and urban tribes,” he said, adding that he will frame the discussion “in a contemporary context for the student populace, citing entertainment celebrities, blockbuster video games and films, and cultural luminaries who are re-defining our concepts about life on Earth.”
“I set the stage for the catalysis of an urban re-evolution regarding Insects, spiders and other organisms that run the planet. We will discuss practical, compelling and sublime examples of the influence of insects, and the origins of the insect tribe.”
The UC Davis Art/Science Fusion Program, founded in 2006, is a pioneering program in the use of an art-science fusion paradigm in undergraduate education and community outreach.
Ullman, professor and former chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology, is the associate dean for undergraduate academic programs in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
Billick, a self-described “rock artist,” is an alumna of UC Davis (bachelor of science degree in genetics in 1973 and her master’s degree in fine arts in 1977).
--Kathy Keatley Garvey
Communications specialist
UC Davis Department of Entomology
(530) 754-6894