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In her article, "MRI as Mirror and Portrait: MRI Configurations Between Science and the Arts," Silvia Casini discusses her first-person experience of undergoing an MRI scan, and how this ultimately inspired her to conduct her own research on the "technical and metaphorical configurations of the elements" present in the MRI laboratory. This actually reminded me of the time I, myself, had to undergo an MRI scan when my doctor suspected that I was suffering from TMJ, a type of disorder that affects the movement of one's jaw joint. I must admit that I was a bit nervous during the first-half of the procedure. The first thing the nurses told me was, "Stay completely still." This made me even more anxious, as I kept thinking to myself repeatedly, "What if I accidentally move at some point?!" Fortunately, the entire scan went smoothly.  "MRI Machine." HealthCentral , https://www.healthcentral.com/condition/back-pain/magnetic-resonance-imagi

On April 21, I had the opportunity to attend the first of three events in the Cosmological Elements exhibition series. The event featured a number of impressively talented artists, including Angela Davies, Daniela Estrada, Eli Joteva, Seph Li, and our very own Victoria Vesna! Each of these artists showcased their own unique interpretation of the connection between art and science through their breathtaking artworks.  Email Confirmation of Event  Although all of the artists' work was equally captivating and admirable, I wanted to highlight the two projects that I considered to be out of this world (pun intended)! The first of these was Professor Victoria Vesna's [ Alien] Star Dust : Signal to Noise . This is a multi-faceted, research-based project that provides individuals with the opportunity to explore the dust from which we were created. Now, I must admit that I was initially a bit confused about the term "alien" in this context. However, after doing some further re

Professor Machiko Kusahara's lecture truly provided me with unique insights into the different perspectives people hold towards the vast world of robotics. Prior to listening to her discussion, I had absolutely no idea that Japan had such a long and impressive history of robotics research. Japan's fascination with robotics can be traced all the way back to the early 17th century with the invention of mechanized dolls known as "Karakuri" puppets. These automata were considered a "highly appreciated form of entertainment" before the onset of the Industrial Revolution (Lecture).  "Karakuri puppet holding saucer." Nippon , https://www.nippon.com/en/views/b00907/. On the other hand, western culture has, for the most part, always held a rather critical view of robots, often depicting them as evil, menacing pieces of technology. The prediction that robots are going to "someday take over the world" is one that I have heard countless times through

Prior to this week's lesson, I had never taken into consideration the connection between math and art. And, quite frankly, I didn't even realize there was such a connection! I suppose this can be attributed to the extremely narrow view of mathematics that I previously held. For me, math simply meant the study of numbers. However, after viewing Professor Vesna's lecture, I soon came to realize that math is so much more! Not only is it the science of numbers and the relation between them, but it is also the study of the relationship of combinations, abstractions, shapes, forms, measurements, spaces, and so on (Vesna). Based on this, we can say that both artists and mathematicians find much common ground in using principles of geometry within their work (e.g., proportion, measurement, angles, symmetry, etc.). It is this commonality that has ultimately allowed for mathematics to have an incredibly profound influence on the discipline of art.            "Piet Mondrian.&quo

To say that this week's lesson was an eye-opener for me would be an understatement. Looking back, the concept of "two cultures" is one that I have always observed at UCLA. In fact, it seems that the entire UCLA student body can be summed up in the divide between "north campus" and "south campus." This can largely be attributed to the fact that the disciplines of art and science are separated geographically.    "A Campus Divided."  PRIME , https://prime.dailybruin.com/justinnorth&southcampus.     Unfortunately, however, this geographical divide has ultimately led to the creation of certain stereotypes that contribute to the perpetuation of this north/south campus separation (Vesna). As a philosophy major, I have personally experienced feelings of intimidation by those who claim that "south campus majors" are the true "brains" of the school. I would be lying if I said I've never reconsidered my major and thought abou