What role can the arts play in shaping scientific expression? How can scientists and artists better work together to share their insights with the general public? We sat down with Smitha Vishveshwara, a theoretical physicist, and Benny Starr, a hip-hop artist and activist, to discuss these thorny questions. In the process, we explored their creative journeys and the need for an artistic (and scientific!) process that incorporates authenticity, courage, and collaborative curiosity.

“The Joy of Regathering” premiered on September 17, 2022 at the University of Illinois' Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. This original work explores who we are at all scales -- from the microscopic to the cosmic – through the lens of science, music, and movement.

Benny served as the inaugural Artist-in-Residence for the U.S. Water Alliance. His work “A Water Album” was recorded live in Charleston, South Carolina in 2018. The music reflects the life-bringing force of water and the existential threat that climate change poses to this flood-prone part of the world.

Participants

Reshmina William, Ph.D., Civil Engineer
2022-23 Executive Branch Fellow at the Department of Energy
2021-22 Judicial Branch Fellow
Twitter: @ReshminaWilliam

Smitha Vishveshwara, Ph.D., Condensed Matter Physicist
Professor of Physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Creative-Scientific Director and Script-(co)writer for “Quantum Voyages,” “Quantum Rhapsodies,” and “The Joy of Regathering”

Benny Starr, Hip-hop Artist
Senior Fellow of Arts and Culture with the U.S. Water Alliance
Lyricist-songwriter for “A Water Album”

Executive Producer

Reshmina William, Ph.D., Civil Engineering
2022-23 Executive Branch Fellow at the Department of Energy
2021-22 Judicial Branch Fellow
Twitter: @ReshminaWilliam