In celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, join artist Ali McCann and Jackie Bondell, Education and Public Outreach CoordinatorOzGrav (ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery) / Swinburne University Education and Outreach Coordinator ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics/University of Melbourne, for an engaging discussion on the impact of science—particularly Dark Matter—on their journeys and practices. Explore how the intersections of science, art, and other practice-based disciplines create ground for collaboration and experimentation. Together, they will share insights into innovative methodologies and how these hybrid forms of research can foster new perspectives ,ideas and experimentation for the future.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is a reminder that women and girls play a critical role in science and technology communities and that their participation should be strengthened.Although Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields are widely regarded as critical to national economies, so far most countries, no matter their level of development, have not achieved gender equality in STEM.
About Jackie Bondell:
Jackie Bondell is Education and Outreach Coordinator for both the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery (OzGrav) and for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics and is based in Melbourne. She develops educational content for public outreach events and curriculum for school programs, focusing on incorporating innovative technology and science content into in-depth and curriculum-aligned education opportunities for students and teachers. Prior to 2018, Jackie spent 15 years as a Physics instructor in the US. She holds a Masters Degree in Astrophysics.
About Ali McCann:
Ali McCann is a Naarm/Melbourne-based photographic artist and educator. At the end of 2022, Ali undertook a three-month residency at correspondences in Brunswick, titled, Campus —A study of the educational, domestic, and deep dark space (In perpetual flux), where her practice-based research explored the parallels between scientific research and the creative process, with the search for dark matter driving this area of enquiry. This research culminated with SOCIAL, a one night only performance (in collaboration with composer and musician Mat Watson) which explored the parallels between adolescent energy and the gravitational forces of dark matter. Alongside a monthly program of open house sessions, two separate artist conversations were staged, one centring on the ideas and material explorations around her expanded photographic practice, and the other, around the concept of ‘sciart’, dark matter and connections between her art practice and that of Dr Raghda Abdel Khaleq, member of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics and practicing visual artist. Ali recently staged a follow-up exhibition at correspondences exploring the intersections of dark matter and the photographic object. Throughout 2024, Ali has been working onsite at both the ARC Centre of Excellence for Dark Matter Particle Physics, University of Melbourne and the Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory, to respond to the SABRE South dark matter direct-detection experiment through various forms of photographic image-making and conceptual thinking.
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