The influence of Roger Ebert’s legacy in C-U and at the University of Illinois will continue to expand with next week’s event. While Ebertfest brings a wide variety of cinematic experiences to C-U, this symposium will be specifically focused on “interactive storytelling, data visualization, and science communication.” Monday, October 1st will be a full day of events which will mostly take place in the National Center for Supercomputing Applications Auditorium, and will feature a wide variety of participants including Chaz Ebert, astronaut and cinematographer for IMAX film The Beautiful Planet Terry Virts, designer and inventor Temple Grandin, and many more brilliant scientific and creative minds. Here is the schedule of events. You can read more about the participants here, and see the full, detailed schedule here.
NCSA, 1205 W Clark St, Urbana
9:00 am: Welcome (Chaz Ebert)
9:30 am: Science on the Screen (Donna J. Cox, Chaz Ebert, Brand Fortner)
Terry Virts, former Astronaut and IMAX cinematographer
Toni Myers, IMAX film Director/Writer
Doron Weber, Sloan Foundation
Nate Kohn, Roger Ebert Film Festival; Peabody Awards
11:30 am: Story Framing and Visualization (Brant Houston, Brand Fortner, Donna Cox)
12:30 pm: Lunch Reception
1:30: Interconnectedness in Arts and Sciences (Anita Chan, Chaz Ebert)
Temple Grandin, University of Colorado, “Temple Grandin” (live remote)
Assistant Professor Stacey Robinson, University of Illinois, AfroFuturism
Rachel Switzky, Inaugural Director for the Seibel Center for Design
Savoy IMAX Theater, 232 W. Burwash, Savoy
4:30: Screening A Beautiful Planet IMAX film (45 minutes)
5:30: Q&A moderated by Chaz Ebert
Nate Kohn, Terry Virts, Toni Myers, Donna J. Cox, Katie Mack, and Brand Fortner
6:30: Conclusion
All of this is free and open to the public, which is amazing. It is recommended, however, that you pre-register here, as those who do will be given preference.
The inaugural Roger Ebert Symposium is hosted by the College of Media, the Advanced Visualization Lab at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), and Chaz Ebert.
Photo courtesy of Terry Virts