Andrew H. Scarpelli

The adage 'you are what you eat' presents both a biological fact and statement of cultural and individual identity. As consumers in the most literal sense, our understanding of nutrition, global agriculture, food safety, and desires to embrace 'fast' or 'slow' food all demand a working literacy in the biology of the organisms that make up our food ecology. We will learn about the basic ecology and evolutionary history of food, examine the economics of food, food sovereignty, as well as the rise of GM foods and the unprecedented global agriculture system that characterizes our food-lives today. Given how personal our interests (and tastes) in food are, the second half of the semester will focus on researching innovation in food production and use from a sustainability perspective — synthesizing information, forming insights, and creating text and image to be combined into an collaborative all-class food zine project.

In this course we will work in collaborative teams to produce projects to enter the first annual Biodesign Challenge, a competition to envision the future of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology is the design and construction of life itself; the engineering of living organisms as biological machines. The field consists of scientists, industries, artists, and citizens using known fundamentals governing how biology works on a submicro-level in order to create meaningful alterations to how life functions. This hybrid studio/science course will introduce students to the theory and techniques of microbial genetic engineering while placing it in a larger cultural, ethical and artistic context. Students will learn and explore the basics of biology of all living organisms with an emphasis on single celled organisms, supported by lab work with bacterial cultures, DNA extraction and manipulation, polymerase chain reaction and gel electrophoresis. Fluency with these lab techniques will enable critical consideration of research and experimentation in biological science and in art and design. Studio projects will focus on designing systems and experiments to utilize this technology conceptually and creatively. The course will culminate in a design summit in New York City, an exhibition of winning projects, and a publication in print and online.

Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field of science that focuses on the existence of life beyond Earth. It leans heavily on understanding the habitability of life on Earth as a basis for understanding the probability and physiology of extraterrestrial life in the universe. Unsurprisingly, astrobiology has inspired generations of scientists, artists, and designers to envision not only alien life, but also the future of human life on Earth in the Anthropocene and on other planets. Set in AT/SP’s Bio Art facility, this course blends concepts and methods of creative studies such as speculative design, futurism, and semiotics with fundamentals in natural science (biology, geochemistry, and astronomy) to imagine what life will look like beyond our current existence. The artistic concepts will be explored via written material by Paola Antonelli, Anthony Dunn, Fiona Ray, etc.. We will focus on discussions of speculative design, bioart, and various lenses of futurism while mantinaining a harmony with scientific understanding of key concepts about life, ecology, and environmental chemistry. At the same time, scientific readings and podcasts in this course will focus on the works of past Chicago scientists Enrico Fermi and Frank Drake who postulated the probability of extraterrestrial life, and several researchers doing active research on life in extreme Earth analog environments and other celestial bodies in our solar system (e.g., scientists at the Biosphere 2 facility and SETI Institute). Students will consider various media ranging from scientific papers to short films and artistic dialogues to show a firm grasp on astrobiology and its philosophical implications. Hands-on experiments in the Bio Art lab will provide opportunities to practice various astrobiology research techniques. The final project will challenge student teams to imagine a potential future or extraterrestrial ecology and use that to design and create a potential gallery piece.

Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary field of science that focuses on the existence of life beyond Earth. It leans heavily on understanding the habitability of life on Earth as a basis for understanding the probability and physiology of extraterrestrial life in the universe. Unsurprisingly, astrobiology has inspired generations of scientists, artists, and designers to envision not only alien life, but also the future of human life on Earth in the Anthropocene and on other planets. Set in AT/SP’s Bio Art facility, this course blends concepts and methods of creative studies such as speculative design, futurism, and semiotics with fundamentals in natural science (biology, geochemistry, and astronomy) to imagine what life will look like beyond our current existence. The artistic concepts will be explored via written material by Paola Antonelli, Anthony Dunn, Fiona Ray, etc.. We will focus on discussions of speculative design, bioart, and various lenses of futurism while mantinaining a harmony with scientific understanding of key concepts about life, ecology, and environmental chemistry. At the same time, scientific readings and podcasts in this course will focus on the works of past Chicago scientists Enrico Fermi and Frank Drake who postulated the probability of extraterrestrial life, and several researchers doing active research on life in extreme Earth analog environments and other celestial bodies in our solar system (e.g., scientists at the Biosphere 2 facility and SETI Institute). Students will consider various media ranging from scientific papers to short films and artistic dialogues to show a firm grasp on astrobiology and its philosophical implications. Hands-on experiments in the Bio Art lab will provide opportunities to practice various astrobiology research techniques. The final project will challenge student teams to imagine a potential future or extraterrestrial ecology and use that to design and create a potential gallery piece.

In this course we will focus on developing skills in the broad and dynamic field of Bioart. Students participate in classroom exercises and individual projects exploring the manipulation of living matter as artistic material. The course will cover basic protocols of molecular biology that will serve as departure points for study of more sophisticated and advanced techniques utilized by artists and scientists. Readings will draw from numerous and varied sources. Students should expect to be willing to dive into such varied materials as essays on bioethics, podcasts on controversial bioarts, peer reviewed scientific journal articles, and online notebooks from well documented student biology projects. Course work will vary but typically includes weekly reading responses, two short mid-term presentatinos, participation in class discussions and laboratory exercise, and the production of 1-2 finished pieces to be presented in a culminating course critique.

As artists, the use of novel media often allow artists to find new means by which to express themselves and explore their message and meanings. Understanding the chemical structures and properties of the materials and components of media often allows for more sophisticated implementation and ease of use. In this course, we will focus on understanding the chemical and biological features of a number of different materials and developing a familiarity with materials as a means of further understanding common materials, identifying sustainable practices, and incorporating chemistry and biochemistry into meaningful creation. Readings and screenings will vary but typically include peer reviewed articles from science journals, writings on material science and biochemistry, and alternative such as podcasts and online video series. Special focus will be on bio-materials. Course work will vary but typically includes weekly reading responses, a mid-term, and a partnered final project focusing on the properties and production of different materials.

Daily there are news reports about newly discovered genes, about advancements in genetic engineering, or about ethical questions involving genetics and health, identity, security, and more. Without a clear understanding of what genes are, it is hard to make sense of these claims. This course will help students understand genetics, drawing from a range of source materials from science journals to popular podcasts. We will approach genetics broadly, discussing what is life, the biochemistry of DNA, and gene expression, then move toward more advanced topics like heredity, epigenetics, and bioengineering. The class incorporates lab activities such as isolating genetic material, and also addresses how the basic science relates to contemporary issues including GMO's, forensic science, biohacking, eugenics, and behavioral genetics. Assignments vary, but typically include weekly reading responses and midterm and final presentations.