According to some of the faculty at Rhode Island School of Design, art and design are poised to transform our economy in the 21st century like science and technology did in the last century. "We need to add Art + Design to turn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) into STEAM" is the message. STEAM is a movement championed not only by the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD); it's also adopted widely by institutions, corporations, and individuals.
Dr. Heather Goldstone and WCAI colleagues visited RISD, to hear about STEAM from RISD's Director of Government Relations Babette Allina, and also about examples of artwork that melds art and science, like the multi media creations of Dennis Hlynsky, artist and chair of the RISD Film and Video department. His films are getting a lot of attention lately. You can find them on Vimeo.
We also hear about EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) a five-year research initiative to explore the impact of climate change on the marine environment. RISD is collaborating with URI, Brown, and other institutions of higher education “to increase capabilities in the visualization of science and new approaches for public understanding of science.”