Arts, Culture and the Environment in Cornwall

These events focus on communication of and connection with interdisciplinary research at the Cornwall campuses of the University of Exeter. Though it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with this activity, it's also essential if we want to build interdisciplinary research teams and engage with our students in interdisciplinary research agendas.

Feel free to forward this invite to your colleagues AND students!
This session will also be live-streamed to the ESI Facebook page
(The FB livestream is mainly meant for the wider public)

AGENDA

Hosted by Caitlin DeSilvey, ESI Associate Director for Transdisciplinary Research, with guest host Natalie Pollard, Deputy Academic Director of Arts & Culture (Cornwall).

Welcome
1.00 - 1.10pm: Caitlin de Silvey and Natalie Pollard.

Presentation 1
1.10pm: Victoria Tichler will discuss creativity, mental health research and public engagement: multisensory approaches to dementia care.

Presentation 2
1.20pm: Aimée Le will be speaking about Earth Humanities, contemporary poetry and performance: arts and humanities with/in science and technology.

Presentation 3
1:30pm: Arts producer Claire English will talk about the Catalyst exhibition: a celebration of a decade of the ESI Creative Exchange programme.

Presentation 4
1:40pm: Elze Hesse will be speaking about how microbial behaviour can help in the clean-up of metal-polluted environments.

QUESTIONS & CONVERSATIONS 1.50 - 2pm

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Hesse obtained her PhD in Evolutionary Ecology from the University of Fribourg in 2006 (with Heinz Müller-Schärer). After postdoctoral fellowships with John Pannell (University of Oxford) and Tom de Jong (Leiden University), she currently works as a research fellow with Angus Buckling at Penryn Campus (University of Exeter). The main thread running through her research is how species interactions are affected by environmental challenges, including those resulting from human activities. She has used and developed a wide variety of model organisms and approaches to address two fundamental questions: (i) what are the key ecological drivers that generate variation in adaptive traits? and (ii) how does such variation affect the evolution of species interactions? Her current research examines how we can manipulate microbial behaviour to help in the clean-up of metal-polluted environments. She uses art-science collaborations to convey the important role microbes play on our lives, and how we can harness their metabolic diversity to our own benefit.

Victoria Tischler BSW, MSocSc, PhD, CPsychol, AFBPsS
Associate Professor in Public Health, Sustainability and Environment, University of Exeter; Honorary Professor, University of West London.
Professor Tischler is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. She has a PhD in psychology from the University of Nottingham where she worked for 12 years. She retains an honorary position at the University of Nottingham Medical School. Her research interests focus on creativity and mental health and multisensory approaches to dementia care. She is co-executive editor of the journal Arts and Health: an international journal for research, policy and practice. She has worked as a curator in the outsider art field, she serves on the scientific advisory board for Boots UK archive and is an advisory board member for the Hamwe Festival, University of Global Health Equity, Rwanda.

Claire English works across contemporary art and heritage, with artists, museums, and universities through curating, producing and consulting. With a strong background in community, Claire believes that bringing people together is the most effective way to bring about real, meaningful and lasting change.
After completing a degree in Studio Ceramics in 2000, Claire spent thirteen years working with WILD Young Parents Project delivering workshops, exhibitions and events. This was followed by an MA in Curatorial Practice with a focus on contemporary art, at Falmouth University.
Claire has worked independently on projects such as Alex Heartly’s Nowhere Island, and Emilia Telese’s Life Begins at Lands’ End - shown as part of Michael Angelo Pistoletto’s Rebirthday in the Louvre, Paris. Following this, Claire completed a Curatorial Internship, resulting in the design and production of the Confluence Art Programme on the Penryn Campus.
Claire has worked with Anima Mundi - acknowledged to be one of the premiere galleries in the South West, with an international reputation. Assisting with the curation and installation many exhibitions in St Ives and at London Art Fair.
Claire’s work with Falmouth University has involved delivering high quality large-scale exhibitions, fashion shows and ceremonies, including an exhibition entitled Let’s French – celebrating Dawn French’s installation as Vice Chancellor.
Working with the University of Exeter as Innovation Impact and Business Partnership Development Manager for Culture, Claire fostered connections with academics and gained insights on current research in the field of humanities. Claire continues to curate for the Creative Exchange Programme at the Environmental Sustainability Institute working with artists and academics.
Claire is currently working with Cornwall Museums Partnership as Producer for both the Trainee Curators Programme, and Future Museum Network – set up for emerging cultural and heritage professionals in Cornwall. Claire also works as Studio Manager for Artist and Sculptor Tim Shaw RA, and Art Consultant for artists Abigail Brown and Carlos Zapata.

Aimée Le
Aimée Lê is a Vietnamese American writer, director and performer. Her work combines DIY production with text and performance.
She received her PhD in English and Practice-based Research from Royal Holloway, University of London.