The College of Arts & Sciences’ Arts Unplugged series brings research and creative works into the public sphere for discussion and inspiration. These engaging events invite a broad audience to explore the work of scholars, faculty and creative luminaries across disciplines in arts and sciences to celebrate the impact that work continues to have on humanity.
Carl Sagan's 90th Birthday Celebration
Carl Sagan's 90th Birthday: A Celebration
On what would have been Carl Sagan's 90th birthday, Cornell’s Carl Sagan Institute will celebrate his legacy in an interdisciplinary weekend of science, music and more as part of the College of Arts & Sciences’ Arts Unplugged series. All events are free and open to the public.
A livestream will be hosted by eCornell; register here. A livestream will also be available on Youtube, with no registration required.
Friday, Nov. 8
7 p.m. Shami Chatterjee, research professor in astronomy, will offer a public lecture on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence in Toni Morrison Hall, Multipurpose Room 102, on North Campus.
8:00-11:00 p.m. Open observing night at Fuertes Observatory, hosted by the Cornell Astronomical Society.
Saturday, Nov. 9
For kids and families:
Noon-2 p.m.
The Physics Bus, Space Sciences Building parking lot
Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility (SPIF) Open House, Space Sciences Building
The birthday celebration
Saturday, Nov. 9, 2-6:15 p.m.
Call Auditorium, Kennedy Hall
2 p.m. Opening Remarks
- John Siliciano, interim provost
- Ann Druyan, Emmy and Peabody award-winning writer/producer/director
- “Searching for Alien Earths” by Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute and associate professor of astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences
- 2:36 pm, Presentations, Part 1
• Nikole Lewis, associate professor of astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences, “Sniffing Exoplanet Atmospheres with JWST”
• Britney Schmidt, associate professor of astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences and of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Cornell Engineering, “Europa in our Backyard”
• Bruce Lewenstein, professor of science and sechnology studies, College of Arts & Sciences, and professor of communication, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, “The Role of ‘Imagination’ in Cosmos.”
3:35 pm, Joseph Dervay, NASA, "A Surprise"
3:40 pm, Music Introduction and Performance
• Gabriela S. Gómez Estévez, Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Orchestras, College of Arts & Sciences, “Introduction to 'The Unanswered Question'”
• Members of the Cornell Orchestra, performance, "The Unanswered Question"
3:50-4:20 Break – birthday cupcakes served
4:20 pm, Presentations, Part 2
• Andrew Hicks, associate professor of music, College of Arts & Sciences, “Voyager's Golden Record: A View from 81,419,422,572,180 Feet”
• Mark Sarvary, senior lecturer of neurobiology & behavior, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, “Inspiring Curiosity and Combating Misinformation: The Sagan Effect Reimagined”
• Josh Umansky-Castro, doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering, Cornell Engineering, “Laser Sailing to the Stars”
• Jonas Biren, postdoctoral research sssociate in Earth and atmospheric sciences, Cornell Engineering, “What are Lava Worlds Made of?”
• Elaine Petro, assistant professor of mechanical & aerospace engineering, Cornell Engineering, “Can alien elephants fly?”
• Buz Barstow, assistant professor of biological and environmental engineering, Cornell Engineering, “If you were permitted only one question to ask them?”
• Rebecca Payne, postdoctoral research associate in astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences, “Worlds on the Edge and the potential for Space Dinosaurs”
• Ligia Coelho, 51 Pegasi b Fellow, Department of Astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences
6:00 pm, Closing remarks
• Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute and associate pressor of astronomy, College of Arts & Sciences, “Searching for Colors of Life in the Cosmos”
• Ann Druyan, Emmy and Peabody award-winning writer/producer/director
A livestream will be hosted by eCornell; register here. A livestream will also be available on Youtube, with no registration required.
7:30 p.m.: Cornell Cinema will host "Making 'Contact' with Extraterrestrial Worlds at Cornell and Beyond" as part of their ongoing Science on Screen® series. Kaltenegger will introduce the film "Contact" with a discussion of the search for life in the cosmos and our human fascination with communicating with non-human worlds. Celebratory cupcakes will be served.
10: p.m.-midnight Open observing night at Fuertes Observatory, hosted by the Cornell Astronomical Society.
Sunday, Nov. 10
For kids and families:
2:30 p.m. Cornell Cinema will show the movie "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial"
On your own time
An interactive map for a walking tour of Carl Sagan-related locations around Ithaca and Cayuga Heights, including the Sagan Planet Walk (an initiative of the Sciencenter) has also been created by research assistant Gillis Lowry ’24.
The celebration is being co-sponsored by the Department of Astronomy (A&S) and the Colleges of Engineering and Agriculture and Life Sciences.
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. The livestream of this event on eCornell will include real time captioning, so please register for that event to view those during the event. To request another accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please email Kathy Hovis as soon as possible at kah53@cornell.edu
News about Arts Unplugged
Past Events
Past Events
Nabokov, Naturally: An exploration of Vladimir Nabokov as writer and “butterfly man”
Click here to view a recording of the keynote presentation
Click here to view a recording of the live panel discussion
Vladimir Nabokov's legacy at Cornell is not limited to the world-famous literary works he produced here. The university's natural and built environments also provided powerful material for his lifelong pursuit of butterflies within their geo- and biodiverse ecosystems.
Our one-day event offered hands-on ways to discover Nabokov through his butterfly collection, his writing and other relics of his time at Cornell contained in the university’s Rare and Manuscript Collection and the Cornell University Insect Collection. We discussed his scientific, literary and artistic pursuits.
Building an Ark: A Conversation with Pioneering Artist Laurie Anderson on Innovation and Storytelling
Click here to view the event recording.
The College of Arts & Sciences was thrilled to host multimedia artist Laurie Anderson for our fall Arts Unplugged event, which brings research and creative works into the public sphere for discussion and inspiration.
Our Sept. 26 event featured a conversation between Anderson and Music Professor Judith Peraino. The pair explored the arc of Anderson's creative career, discussed the intersection of technological and artistic innovation, and offered some glimpses into Anderson’s next project.
From the Big Red to the Red Carpet: A two-day visit with alumni filmmakers Scott Ferguson ‘82 and Michael Kantor ‘83
Cornell alums Scott Ferguson and Michael Kantor reflected on their award-winning careers in film and television production. The pair — Cornell classmates — discussed their parallel paths in narrative and documentary filmmaking from their student days at Cornell to their current roles as executive producers of HBO’s “Succession” and the PBS series “American Masters,” respectively.
Aftershocks: Geopolitics Since the Ukraine Invasion
As the war in Ukraine raged on, we hosted a panel of leading journalists and scholars covering Russia, Europe, China and the global political landscape, who discussed how international relations, security, trade and economics are shifting in ways not seen since World War II.
Science of the Very, Very Small
The “science of the very, very small” offered possible solutions for everything from the energy crisis to disease. Ideas that once existed only in science fiction are becoming reality and Cornell scientists are leading the way in nanoscale and quantum materials research. In this virtual Arts Unplugged, we explored some of these exciting innovations – and their ramifications for human society.
Cornell According to Sound
Our third event in the series featured a sonic look at campus, brought to us by Chris Hoff ’02 and Sam Harnett, creators of The World According to Sound. The duo spent the fall semester finding and recording sounds across the university – from fish and frogs, to Latin speakers and dirt. Along with four performances at the Schwartz Center, listeners were able to visit five pop-up listening stations across campus to help them become more aware about the role and impact of sound in their lives.
Cornell Celebrates Toni Morrison
The College hosted a yearlong series honoring our beloved alumna and literary icon on the 50th anniversary of her first book, "The Bluest Eye." Events included a “Toni Morrison at 90” colloquium to honor Morrison’s 90th birthday, a reading of “The Bluest Eye,” which included authors Ta-Nehisi Coates, Tayari Jones and Edwidge Danticat, activist Angela Davis, poets Sonia Sanchez and Kevin Young, as well as U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo. Other events virtual screening of “The Pieces I Am,” a documentary of Morrison’s life at Ithaca’s Cinemapolis theatre, an exhibit at Cornell University Libraries and a quilting project.
Words from a Bear
Cornell’s newest film professor, Jeff Palmer, shared advice for creating a Sundance documentary and screened his latest feature film during our second Arts Unplugged event at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. “Words from a Bear,” Palmer’s first feature film, explores the creative works of N. Scott Momaday. Our event also included a talk by Gus Palmer, professor emeritus at the University of Oklahoma, and one of the narrators of the film.
Odyssey in Ithaca
From tales of sinking ships to murderous fights to bedroom shenanigans, a cast of 75 readers told the story of Homer’s “Odyssey” during a daylong event in Klarman Hall, our inaugural Arts Unplugged event. The reading, spearheaded by Athena Kirk, assistant professor of classics, featured speakers from the community and local colleges, state and local representatives, as well as special audio segments from Annie Lewandowski, senior lecturer in music.
An Evening with A.D. White Professor at Large Wynton Marsalis and the Cornell Wind Symphony
Cornell welcomed Pulitzer and Grammy-winning artist Wynton Marsalis as A.D. White Professor-at-Large for a concert with the Cornell Wind Symphony on Nov. 6, 2021. The concert at Bailey Hall was conducted by Barbara & Richard T. Silver '50, MD '53 Assistant Professor of Music James Spinazzola, along with Marsalis and his rhythm section. They performed a wide-ranging program including ragtime, blues, and jazz. Marsalis also offered a talk, "The University’s Place in Promoting American Democracy in the Disciplines."
Policy, Politics and Ethics of the Coming AI Revolution
This interactive discussion with leading experts focused on the enormous changes and considerations of how we can enact policy that supports democracy and an ethical society as AI technology continues to expand