Laser Talks
Leonardo/ISAST LASER Talks is a series of international gatherings that bring artists, scientists, humanists and technologists together for informal presentations, performances and conversations with the wider public. The mission of LASER is to encourage contributions to the cultural environment of a region by fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and opportunities for community building to over 50 cities worldwide and five continents.
Texas A&M LASER Talks
Since Spring 2025, the Institute for Applied Creativity (IAC) has proudly hosted the Texas A&M LASER Talks series, as a local chapter of the international Leonardo/ISAST LASER network. Held monthly during the academic year, each event features prominent interdisciplinary speakers whose work intersects the arts, sciences, humanities and technology, fostering dynamic dialogue and collaboration across fields. The format of the talks is a 30-minute speaker talk followed by an onstage discussion and interview to further discussion and inspiration.
Co-chairs: Lynn Vartan, Ph.D., and Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo, Ph.D.
Location: J. Wayne Stark Galleries, Memorial Student Center
Upcoming Schedule
All talks begin at noon and are followed by a brief reception at 1 p.m.
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Sept. 17, 2025: Kiju Lee, associate professor in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution and the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
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Oct. 15, 2025: William Doan, professor emeritus of theatre in the College of Arts and Architecture and artist-in-residence in the College of Nursing at Penn State University.
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Nov. 20, 2025, at 3 p.m.: Jiabao Li, assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin.
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Jan. 21, 2026: Carmen Montoya, associate professor in sculpture and spatial practices, Studio Arts program at Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
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Feb. 18, 2026: Philippe Pasquier, professor in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology at Simon Fraser University, Canada; director of Metacreation Lab for Creative AI.
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March 18, 2026: Patricia Olynyk, Florence and Frank Bush Professor of Art, Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
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April 15, 2026: Avital Meshi, new media artist with a M.F.A. from the Digital Arts and New Media program at UC Santa Cruz; a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; a BSc and an MSc in behavioral biology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Sponsors
- J. Wayne Stark Galleries
- College of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts
- Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research
Contact Us
Have a question or want to suggest a speaker? Reach out to us at: creativity@tamu.edu