A Shout Across time

Danced Lecture, Interviews with Renowned Physicists, Symphony & Film

WVU Creative Arts Center Davis and Falbo Theaters

April 21st-23rd, 2017

Danced Lecture

WVU Creative Arts Center Davis Theatre

The WVU School of Theatre and Dance and Department of Physics and Astronomy present a "danced" lecture on Einstein's theory of general relativity, black holes, and one of Einstein's last predictions that was just verified last year: the existence of gravitational waves. The dance is inspired by the orbits of black holes, featuring a troupe of dancers who roll and run, turn and leap in tune with sounds gravitational waves would make if human ears could hear them.

Interviews with Renowned Physicists

WVU Astrophysicist Sean McWilliams conducts a live interview with a leading expert on Einstein's theories. The interview may cover topics such as the meaning of success and the role of science in our culture, as well as scientific information about Einstein's theories. Friday's show will include an interview with Dr. Richard Price, Saturday's guest will be Dr. Shane Larson, and Sunday's guest will be Dr. Janna Levin.

Dr. Richard Price researches gravitational theory and relativistic astrophysics, black holes, and applied mathematics. He he has held faculty positions at the University of Utah, Louisiana State University, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Texas at Brownsville, University of Texas at San Antonio, and University Massachusetts Dartmouth. He is currently Adjunct Professor and Research Affiliate at MIT and the next editor of the American Journal of Physics.

Dr. Shane Larson is known to some as a "Science Jedi." He is a research Associate Professor at Northwestern University in the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA), and also an astronomy in the Department of Astronomy at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. Dr. Larson is an active communicator of science through his WriteScience Blog, amateur astronomy, and public lectures.

Dr. Janna Levin is the Tow Professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University, and has contributed to our understanding of black holes, the cosmology of extra dimensions, gravitational waves, and the shape of spacetime. She was recently named a Guggenheim Fellow, and has authored several books, including How the Universe Got Its Spots, A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines, which won the PEN/Bingham Prize, and Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space, which details the inside story on the discovery of the century: the sound of spacetime ringing from the collision of two black holes over a billion years ago.

Morgantown Community Orchestra with "A Shout Across Time" Film

WVU Creative Arts Center Falbo Theatre

A Shout Across Time is an exploration of the universe Einstein revealed to all of us. Composed of a live orchestra performing an original score synchronized with a digital soundtrack, and an innovative film, it is truly a multimedia work. Most of what we know about the universe comes from what we can see, but in the search to find gravitational waves scientists now listen, hoping to hear the universe. The Morgantown Community Orchestra, under the direction of Juliana Cantarelli Vita, will perform the music composed by Ira Mowitz. Like the Celebrating Danced lecture, the orchestral score includes computer-generated music, in addition to real-world sounds and simulations. Using animation, computer simulations, and archival footage, the film produced and directed by Dennis Aig is a hybrid of nonfiction genres that allows us to experience the lasting legacy of Einstein’s theories related to gravity and gravitational waves.

Friday, April 21st

5:00-7:00pm  

Opening Reception
WVU Art Museum Education Center Grand Hall
Catered with Heavy Appetizers and Wine
Occurring in Tandem with the Art Museum Reception for a Shepard Fairey Exhibit
$20 tickets per person, Registration Required before Wednesday, April 19th - Purchase Registration Here

7:30-9:30pm 

Main Event: Danced Lecture & Interview with Richard Price
WVU Creative Arts Center Davis Theatre
FREE, Pre-registration requested - Register Here
(Note that registration is to provide us with an idea of audience members, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee seating if we are full.)

Saturday, April 22nd

2:00-4:00pm 

Main Event: Danced Lecture & Interview with Shane Larson
WVU Creative Arts Center Davis Theatre
FREE, Pre-registration requested - Register Here
(Note that registration is to provide us with an idea of audience members, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee seating if we are full.)

4:30-5:30pm

Morgantown Community Orchestra & Film
WVU Creative Arts Center Falbo Theatre
FREE, no registration needed

7:30-9:30pm

Main Event: Danced Lecture & Interview with Shane Larson
WVU Creative Arts Center Davis Theatre
FREE, Pre-registration requested - Register Here
(Note that registration is to provide us with an idea of audience members, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee seating if we are full.)

Sunday, April 23rd

2:00-4:00pm  

Main Event: Danced Lecture & Interview with Janna Levin
WVU Creative Arts Center Davis Theatre
FREE, Pre-registration requested - Register Here
(Note that registration is to provide us with an idea of audience members, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee seating if we are full.)

4:30-5:30pm