An Insightful End to the “Border-Crossing Arts” Lecture Series

Dr. Sang-Keun Yoo and Eozin Che pose for a picture in Dyson Lecture Hall on Nov. 18. Photo provided by Dr. Sang-Keun Yoo

In an increasingly digital world, turning physical reality into virtual reality has become a widespread effort. That is what Eozin Che tackles as the lead creative technologist at the American Museum of Natural History.

To conclude the insightful guest lecture series “Border-Crossing Arts,” Che gave an interactive lecture on the work she has contributed to the museum. Her work has served to bring complex scientific findings to the public in a way that is accessible and enjoyable.

Of the three speakers Assistant Professor of English Dr. Sang-Keun Yoo invited, Che’s lecture was the most focused on the relationship between the arts, science and technology.

Playing a major role in the Science Visualization Group, Che described the goals of her projects to be “turning data into something engaging and enjoyable” and “connecting the worlds of science and the general public through artistic expression.”

In the project planning and design processes, Che and her team prioritize making their exhibits accessible and interactive, so that people of all ages, cultures and abilities can enjoy and learn from them.

Aiming to bring science to the general public through artistic expression, Che’s team has partnered with various scientific institutions, succeeding in turning complex data into fun and hands-on learning experiences.

Che’s extended reality (XR) projects have combined the digital and physical worlds, bringing to life scientific data in interactive and educational exhibits. Included under the umbrella of XR is augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR) and virtual reality (VR).

In 2019, her team completed the T.Rex Skeleton Crew exhibit, where visitors could work together to assemble the skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus and see it come to life. This exhibit is a full extended reality experience, so by having visitors work together, the team aimed to preserve the social aspect of traditional museums.

This exhibition, and the others implemented by Che and her team, are an important turning point in how museums function. Che’s team continues to pursue creating museum exhibits and experiences using extended reality.

In other exhibitions, Che has involved Earth Fest, a celebration of Earth Day and Invisible Worlds, a 360-degree science-and-art experience bringing the unreachable to visitors.

Another complex aspect of Che’s work has been making virtual experiences social. During the pandemic, the museum’s creative groups moved to a more online-based platform for displaying exhibits. One of their main goals was to allow people touring the museum virtually to be able to interact with other visitors, just as they might do in real life.

Another important part of her lecture was when she allowed students to brainstorm and share their creative ideas, considering them for future projects that she later described. The students actively engaged in discussion with her.

In her lecture, Che also touched on the use of artificial intelligence in her field and how it allows her and her team to “see” things they can’t see on their own. The Science Visualization Group has used virtual reality and artificial intelligence to visualize and organize certain exhibitions before implementing them.

One important note Che left attendants with was that “your imagination will be the only thing that limits you, not technology.” She says that technology continues evolving and that ideas that cannot be implemented through technology today will be possible in the future.

Dr. Yoo’s hope for the “Border-Crossing Arts” series was that it would allow students to participate in global conversations and learn how they could contribute to positive change in an ever-changing world using the arts and sciences. This was made possible thanks to his collaboration with the School of Liberal Arts and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

The series informed and inspired students, empowering them with new knowledge that they can implement into their academic and creative endeavors. The “Border-Crossing Arts” series brought the world to Marist College students.