Beauty At Work

Carlo Lancellotti is a Professor of Mathematics at the College of Staten Island and a faculty member in the Physics Program at the CUNY Graduate Center. His field of scholarship is mathematical physics, with a special emphasis on the kinetic theory of plasmas and gravitating systems. He has published in a variety of journals, including Physical Review, Physical Review Letters, the Journal of Statistical Physics, Chaos, the Journal of Transport Theory, and Statistical Physics. He has also translated into English and published three volumes of works by the late Italian philosopher Augusto Del Noce. Lancellotti has also written essays of his own on Del Noce and other topics, which have appeared in Communio, Public Discourse, Church Life Journal, First Things, and other outlets.In this episode, we talk about: Beauty, structure, and harmony and their role in the study of mathematics.The aesthetic criteria used by some mathematicians.The beauty found in the Boltzmann equation.Beauty and truth in simplicity and consistency—understanding reality through math.The limitations of mathematics in what it can tell us about reality.Mathematicians and the Platonic world of ideas.Appreciating the beauty in mathematics—how beauty can help encourage the study of math.Understanding math is a necessity in learning art.Resources mentioned:David Bohm’s Wholeness and the Implicate Order:https://www.amazon.com/Wholeness-Implicate-Order-David-Bohm/dp/0415289793The Redemption of Scientific Reason by Carlo Lancellotihttps://churchlifejournal.nd.edu/articles/the-redemption-of-scientific-reason/Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Dr. Mark Painter graduated from The University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota with a B.S. in Biology in 2014, and subsequently entered the Graduate Program in Immunology at the University of Michigan. There, he studied how HIV evades the immune response and establishes a persistent infection, working to develop therapeutic strategies to reverse these processes. He completed his Ph.D. in Immunology in November 2020. He began a postdoctoral research fellowship to study human immunology and vaccination in John Wherry's lab at the University of Pennsylvania in January 2021. His current focus is on immune responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination, and his work has been published in journals including Science Immunology, Immunity, Nature Medicine, Science, and Cell.In this episode, we talk about: What drew Mark Painter into the study of biology and virology?Viruses, the elegance in their intricacies, and their place in the process of life.The beauty found in Mark’s work in biology and virology.The usefulness of beauty in understanding in the realm of science.The obstacles in encountering beauty in science, and what can help scientists face those obstacles.Mark’s insight into what could be done to establish more public trust in science, especially in the realm of vaccines.Cultivating the love of science and reality through deep conversation over simply sharing facts.Resources mentioned:Mark Painter’s body of work and research he was involved in:https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=mark+painter&btnG=Sponsors:This episode is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust as part of a grant on the aesthetic dimensions of science. It is also sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies at the University of Southern California, and you can learn more about them here: www.iacs.usc.eduSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Frank C. Keil is Charles C. & Dorathea S. Dilley Professor of Psychology and Linguistics at Yale University, where he is also a member of the Cognition and Development Lab. After his BS in Biology at MIT in 1973, he went on to get his MA in Psychology from Stanford in 1975 and PhD in Psychology from University of Pennsylvania in 1977. Keil has published extensively on topics concerned with many areas in the development of cognition and language. He has written two books on aspects of conceptual development. He has served as president of the Society for Philosophy and Psychology and has received numerous awards for his scholarship, including the Boyd R. McCandless Award from the American Psychological Association (Developmental Psychology), the Distinguished Scientific Award for an Early Career Contribution to Psychology from the American Psychological Association, a Guggenheim Fellowship, a fellowship at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, a MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Health, and the Ann L. Brown Award for Excellence in Developmental Research. His recent work focuses on how children and adults grasp the causal structure of the world around them and how they cope with explanatory gaps. His latest book is Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong Love of Science (MIT Press, 2022).In this episode, we talk about: Defining “wonder” and how it differs from curiosity and its importance for children.Causal mechanisms and their importance in the realm of science.The factors that facilitate wonder and the drive to understand causal mechanisms.How the American school system contributes to the repression of wonder.How the pressure of chasing grants and the lack of agency is an obstacle to a scientist’s wonder.How to sustain the sense of wonder.Qualities that one can have that can contribute to the pursuit of scientific inquiry.Does learning how something works diminish the wonder we can feel for it?On the weaponization of wonder How to make assertions with confidence while also saying that it’s fallible.Tips for cultivating wonder in (1) children, (2) teachers who feel pressured to produce by the system, and (3) scientists who are losing their sense of wonder.Resources mentioned:Frank Keil’s book, “Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong Love of Science”:https://www.amazon.com/Wonder-Childhood-Lifelong-Love-Science/dp/0262046490Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Dr. Marcia Otto is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in the Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics, and Environmental Health. Marcia's research focuses on the effects of different aspects of diet on cardiometabolic health and cognition. Marcia received her postdoctoral training in Nutritional and Cardiovascular Epidemiology at Harvard T.C. Chan School of Public Health. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health, an M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Sao Paulo, and a B.S. in Physics from the University of Rio de Janeiro State. Marcia’s work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Department of Defense. Since 2020, Marcia has been serving as the leading investigator of a multi-site collaboration to inform the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Harris County, TX.In this episode, we talk about: Why Dr. Marcia Otto became a scientist in the first place What drew her to study health and epidemiologyThe beauty that Marcia finds in her work as a scientistThe relationship between the beauty of understanding and the usefulness of scienceNavigating institutional pressures that may become an obstacle in finding beauty in scienceMarcia’s advice for other scientists who struggle to find beauty in their work: “Do not forget your passion.”How the dedication to contribute and being receptive to discovery opens you to finding beauty in the field of science.What makes some scientists be open to being surprised, and why some are locked into a more confined goal?Navigating the difficulty of communicating research to the public despite the provisional nature of science that is always undergoing correctionWhat Marcia wants the public to understand about her work and science in general.To learn more about Dr. Otto’s work, visit: www.uth.tmc.eduSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast Support the show

Marcelo Gleiser is the Appleton Professor of Natural Philosophy at Dartmouth, a world-renowned theoretical physicist and public intellectual. He’s authored hundreds of technical and nontechnical papers and essays, and six books in English translated to 15 languages, the latest being Great Minds Don’t Think Alike. His popular writings explore the historical, religious, and philosophical roots of science. Marcelo is a Fellow of the American Physical Society, a recipient of the Presidential Faculty Fellows Award from the White House, and founder and past director of the Institute for Cross-Disciplinary Engagement at Dartmouth. He co-founded NPR’s 13.7 Science and Culture blog, and currently writes weekly for BigThink.com. He is the 2019 Templeton Prize laureate, an honor he shares with Mother Tereza, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, and scientists Freeman Dyson, Jane Goodall, Francis Collins, and Sir Martin Rees.In this episode we talk about: What first drew Marcelo to physics in his childhoodOn his first encounters with beauty in scienceWhy Marcelo finds asymmetries in the world beautifulWhy scientific models can be misleadingCan we view science as the absolute truth?On the problem with ultimate theories of everythingHow can realizing science is limited actually fuel our pursuit for more knowledge?How does our lost connection with nature affect us as a society?What is the relationship between science and spirituality?How can one overcome corrosive institutional pressures in science?To learn more about Marcelo’s work, visit: https://marcelogleiser.com Resources Mentioned:The blind spot: https://aeon.co/essays/the-blind-spot-of-science-is-the-neglect-of-lived-experienceThis episode is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust as part of a grant on the aesthetic dimensions of science (TRT0296). To learn more about them, visit www.templetonreligiontrust.orgThis episode is also sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, a global research center located at the University of Southern California. IACS works to create dialogue, spark ideas and sustain academic research on Catholic thought, creative imagination and lived experience. Learn more at iacs.usc.eduSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Dr. Punya Mishra is Associate Dean of Scholarship & Innovation and Professor in the Division of Educational Leadership & Innovation in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. He is internationally recognized for his work in technology integration in teaching; the role of creativity and aesthetics in learning; and the application of design-based approaches to educational innovation. He has received over $7 million in grants, published over 100 articles, and edited 3 books. He is an award-winning teacher, an engaging public speaker, as well as an accomplished visual artist and poet. And like any true Douglas Adams fan, he is interested in life, the universe, and everything.In this episode we talk about: How Dr. Mishra began seeing the beauty of the world through scienceHow can we revive the sense of wonder and curiosity in our classrooms?How education fails to cultivate the skill of curiosity and perceptionThe role of beauty in scienceDr. Mishra’s framework to better understand aesthetics in scienceCan curiosity be both helpful and harmful?Why do the aesthetics of coding matter?Can learning about the aesthetics of science help cultivate public trust?How can we develop generative curiosity?Why are the aesthetic aspects of science important?To learn more about Dr. Mishra work, visit: https://punyamishra.com/ You can also find him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/punyamishra Resources Mentioned:Dr. Mishra's framework for the role of aesthetics in STEM education:https://punyamishra.com/2019/02/10/aesthetics-stem-education-introducing-a-new-framework/Creativity & the Mindful Wanderings of Dr. Jonathan Schooler: https://punyamishra.com/2022/06/22/mindful-wandering-creativity-new-article/This episode is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust as part of a grant on the aesthetic dimensions of science (TRT0296). To learn more about them, visit www.templetonreligiontrust.orgThis episode is also sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, a global research center located at the University of Southern California. IACS works to create dialogue, spark ideas and sustain academic research on Catholic thought, creative imagination and lived experience. Learn more at iacs.usc.eduSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Dacher Keltner is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the faculty director of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. A renowned expert in the science of human emotion, Dr. Keltner studies compassion and awe, how we express emotion, and how emotions guide our moral identities and search for meaning. His research interests also span issues of power, status, inequality, and social class. He is the author of The Power Paradox and the bestselling book Born to be Good, and the co-editor of The Compassionate Instinct. His latest book is titled Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life. In this episode we talk about: What drew Dacher to the scientific study of awe How awe differs from wonder and beauty What has surprised him the most about what he learned through his research What are the causes and triggers of awe, and why it matters for us to experience it How might experiences of awe facilitate scientific inquiry? And conversely, can scientific work deepen our sense of awe and mystery? Can awe lead us to both action as well as contemplation?    Are there problems with the structure or culture of science that inhibit experiences of awe? How can we nurture awe in research culture?  What is the relationship between awe and spirituality?  How can we practically cultivate awe in our daily lives? To learn more about Dr. Keltner’s work, visit: www.dacherkeltner.comResources Mentioned:Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your LifeEdmund Burke on the Sublime and the BeautifulCharles Darwin’s The Origin of SpeciesThe Invention of Nature by Andrea WulfSupport us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Luke Burgis began his career on Wall Street in investment banking and private equity and went on to found multiple companies in technology, consumer products, and wellness. He is Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Director of Programs at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at The Catholic University of America, where he is also a professor of business. He graduated from New York University’s Stern School of Business with a degree in Finance and Accounting and later studied philosophy and theology at a pontifical university in Rome. Luke is the co-author of the book Unrepeatable: Cultivating the Unique Calling of Every Person, with Dr. Joshua Miller, and the bestselling book Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Life (St. Martin’s Press), inspired by the ideas of the social theorist René Girard on the mimetic or imitative nature of human desire.In our conversation, we talked about what beauty has to do with mimetic desire and rivalry, especially in the worlds of science and technology.In this episode, we explore:1. What attracted Luke to pursue finance, entrepreneurship, and then to study philosophy and theology2. What is mimetic desire, and why does it matter?3. The work of Rene Girard on mimetic desire4. How mimetic rivalry relates to unhealthy competition in science5. How to foster healthy competition instead of mimetic rivalry6. Comparing the worlds of technology and academia when it comes to mimetic desire7. Luke’s conceptual framework called The Three-City Problem, examining the relationship between reason, faith, and technology9. How one can focus on deeper beauty rather than mimetic desire10. The scapegoating mechanism and the mimetic crisis11. How to become anti-mimeticTo learn more about his work, visit his website and subscribe to his newsletterCheck out his book:Wanting: The Power of Mimetic Desire in Everyday Lifehttps://www.amazon.com/Wanting-Power-Mimetic-Desire-Everyday/dp/1250262488Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show

Ard Louis is a Professor of Theoretical Physics at the University of Oxford where he leads an interdisciplinary research group studying problems on the border between chemistry, physics, and biology.He was born in the Netherlands, was raised in Gabon, and received his first degree from the University of Utrecht and his PhD in theoretical physics from Cornell University. Prior to teaching at Oxford he taught theoretical chemistry at the University of Cambridge.In this episode we explore:1. What drew Ard to study physics2. Where he encounters beauty in his work3. What beauty means to scientists in the fields of biology and physics4. The role of awe and the sublime in science5. Ard’s recent research of the frequency of symmetry in nature6. Is there beauty in asymmetry?7. The significance of beauty in science 8. Can beauty be misleading—a source of bias?9. How does beauty in science relate to the beauty we encounter in art? 10. Why should the public care about beauty in science?Visit Dr. Louis’s research group website:https://www-thphys.physics.ox.ac.uk/people/ArdLouis/Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcast Support the show

Our guest today is Anjan Chatterjee, MD, FAAN. He is a Professor of Neurology, Psychology, and Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and has served as the Chair of Neurology at Pennsylvania Hospital. While his clinical work focuses on cognitive disorders, the focal points of his research are in neuroaesthetics, spatial cognition, language, and neuroethics. His multidisciplinary knowledge has won him recognition and awards. It has led him to author his book, The Aesthetic Brain, a study on how art has embedded itself into the human mind as investigated through the lens of neuroscience and evolutionary psychology.Dr. Chatterjee joins us to discuss the following:Dr. Chatterjee’s academic path from philosophy, to neuroscience, to neuroaesthetics.Are humans hard-wired for beauty?Individuals are influenced by culture, and culture is influenced by the collective.The Aesthetic Triad and how it is affected by moral judgments.Using beauty as a heuristic.Why humans can find beauty in non-sensory subjects.The questions asked by neuroaesthetics.What can we learn from exploring aesthetics in Science?Visit Dr. Chatterjee’s blog on Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/brain-behavior-and-beautyCheck out his books: The Aesthetic Brain: How we evolved to desire beauty and enjoy art and co-edited Brain, Beauty, and Art: Bringing Neuroaesthetics in Focus as well as Neuroethics in Practice: Mind, Medicine, and Society, and The Roots of Cognitive Neuroscience: Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychology.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FHZZYOU/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i1Brain, Beauty, and Art: Essays Bringing Neuroaesthetics into Focus (With Eileen Cardillo)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LVVRY54/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0Neuroethics in Practice (With Martha J. Farah)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CXQ6PSU/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2The Roots of Cognitive Neuroscience: Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychology (With H. Branch Coslett)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HFPV4AI/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i3Support us on Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/BeautyatWorkPodcastSupport the show