Emory University will partner with Science Gallery International to create and curate an immersive exhibition space in Atlanta that is designed to inspire young adults in the sciences and arts.
The announcement was made today at a signing ceremony attended by an Emory delegation at Trinity College Dublin, where Science Gallery International (SGI) is headquartered.
Emory joins SGI’s educational collaborative that comprises seven top universities in Dublin; London; Melbourne, Australia; Detroit, Michigan; Venice, Italy; Rotterdam, Netherlands; and Bengaluru, India.
Part experiment, part exhibition, Science Galleries are typically a living laboratory for ideas. The gallery’s programs connect, engage and showcase the work of artists, scientists, researchers, industry and a global network of collaborators. Some of them are in permanent spaces while others function as pop-ups and traveling exhibits.
SGI says its exhibitions have reached millions of young people with interactive, cross-disciplinary programs that showcase emerging research and ideas from the arts, sciences, design and technology.
Welcoming the initiative, Emory President Claire E. Sterk says Emory has long harnessed its teaching and research excellence to kindle critical thinking and address global challenges. “That’s what Science Gallery is all about. We view this gallery as a place where creativity, scholarship and service can come together to help make a brighter future for all,” Sterk says.
Deborah W. Bruner, senior vice president for research at Emory, was instrumental in bringing the project to Atlanta and says Emory is excited to introduce Science Gallery to the city.
“We believe this immersive, multi-dimensional experience will foster a dynamic new model for engaging with our students, faculty and the city at large,” Bruner says. “By bringing together the arts and sciences in ways that delight, clarify and stimulate, Science Gallery Emory will build our understanding of complex issues and yield better outcomes for our world in light of pressing global challenges. It will further Atlanta’s reputation as a destination for innovation in the arts and sciences.”
Speaking at the announcement, Andrea Bandelli, executive director of SGI, expressed delight at Emory’s addition to SGI’s family of galleries. “We are excited for what the future holds for it, and the scientific and artistic communities in Atlanta and across Georgia,” Bandelli says.
More details about Science Gallery in Atlanta will be announced over the next few months.