TIAN/ASU

The chemistry of dance and science

It may seem unusual to pair science and dance, but that’s exactly what faculty member Keith Thompson is doing.

Thompson, assistant director of the dance program and associate professor at ASU, collaborated with the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams and Wharton Center for Performing Arts at Michigan State University to create an interactive multimedia project that educates the community on the intersection of art and science. The program involved graduate students, physicists, dancers and a cast of diverse youth.

Thompson says it’s important to emphasize diversity. He cited studies that show how girls and students of color often lose interest in sciencerelated programs as early as eighth grade.

The event, called “Of Equal Place: Isotopes in Motion,” included performances, movement workshops and hands-on science experiences. It was inspired by ASU Herberger Institute Professor Liz Lerman’s work with the European Organization for Nuclear Research facility in Switzerland. Dance Exchange, the arts organization Lerman founded, also collaborated on the project by performing as well as developing study guides for students.

The event, which was years in development, pushed groups together who otherwise may not often collaborate and learn from each other — much like the facility itself crashing particles together and studying those interactions to learn and better understand the universe.