Nasa Goddard Institute

This post comes from Chantal Bilodeau’s Artists and Climate Change Blog

Daniel Crawford; photo clip from A Song of Our Warming Planet

Sometimes the arts can turn a cold set of data into a vivid experience. A remarkable example of this is how University of Minnesota undergrad Daniel Crawford uses his cello to communicate climate science through music. Crawford based his composition, A Song of Our Warming Planet, on surface temperature data from theÂ NASA Goddard Institute of Space Studies. Each note represents a year from 1880 to 2012, with low notes assigned to relatively cool years and high notes to relatively warm years. The result is a haunting musical representation of the state of our planet, and a glimpse at where it is heading. I promise after listening to the piece, you will never be able to forget that temperature graph ever again.

Several articles have Â written about the project. If youâ€™re interested in Crawfordâ€™s process, make sure to look atÂ Climate ProgressÂ andÂ ensia.

Filed under: MusicÂ

Artists and Climate Change is a blog by playwright Chantal Bilodeau that tracks artistic responses from all disciplines to the problem of climate change. It is both a study about what is being done, and a resource for anyone interested in the subject. Art has the power to reframe the conversation about our environmental crisis so it is inclusive, constructive, and conducive to action. Art can, and should, shape our values and behavior so we are better equipped to face the formidable challenge in front of us.

Go to Chantal Bilodeau’s Artists and Climate Change Blog

The vision of climate change provided by the arts complements the analytical information given by the science. The landscape of numbers can be populated by dreams in the form of images, dance or music, leading to a more complete understanding of how our planet works. Join The Earth Institute, Columbia University; the Segal Center; and artists, scientists, and communication experts working across multiple disciplines in an inspirational, informative program to explore present and future connections between the arts and climate change science. In honor of Earth Day. Co-curated by Lisa Phillips.

3 p.m. & 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 22, 2010
Martin E. Segal Theatre. Free!

Afternoon session at 3:00 p.m. will feature:

Gavin Schmidt, climatologist, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
Stephen Pekar, geologist, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Queens College, City University of New York
Britta Riley, artist, entrepreneur
Jeremy Pickard, theatre artist
Moderated by Sabine Marx, Center for Research on Environmental Decisions, Columbia University.

Evening session at 6:30 p.m. will feature:

Klaus Lackner, geophysicist, Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University
Katie Holten, visual artist
Ajit Subramaniam, biological oceanographer, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University
Cynthia Hopkins, performing artist
Jon Braman, rapper-songwriter
Moderated by Lisa Phillips, Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy, The Earth Institute, Columbia University

Illuminating the Science: Art and Climate Change

Lisa Phillips

is the Assistant Director for the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy at the Earth Institute, Columbia University, where she manages programs and funding initiatives for cutting-edge scientific research in alternative energy. She enjoys bringing together artists and scientists to maximize the impact of, and appreciation for, their work. She comes from the nonprofit performing arts sector, where she held roles as a producer, booking agent, general manager, and consultant. She served as the Director of Booking for MAPP International Productions, representing inter/national contemporary dance, theater, and multi-disciplinary artists.Â www.energy.columbia.edu

EarthÂ is at a critical crossroads. While revolutionary advances in science and technology have lifted humanity to new heights of prosperity and longevity in many parts of the world, hundreds of millions of people are vulnerable to the impacts of hazards and natural disasters, extreme poverty, infectious disease and a host of other challenges. At the same time, human activity, especially in the last 100 years, is threatening the health of the environment and potentially posing risks of unprecedented magnitude to our shared future.

TheÂ EarthÂ Institute, Columbia University is the worldâ€™s leading academic center addressing the challenges of sustainable development. Our mission is to mobilize the sciences, education and public policy to achieve a sustainableÂ Earth. TheÂ EarthÂ Instituteâ€™s overarching goal is to help achieve sustainable development primarily by expanding the worldâ€™s understanding ofÂ EarthÂ as one integrated system. We work toward this goal through scientific research, education and the practical application of research for solving real-world challenges. With 850 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, staffÂ and students working in and across more than 30 Columbia University research centers, theÂ EarthÂ Institute is helping to advance nine interconnected global issues: climate and society, water, energy, poverty, ecosystems, public health, food and nutrition, hazards and urbanization. With Columbia University as its foundation, theÂ EarthÂ Institute draws upon the scientific rigor, technological innovation and academic leadership for which the University is known.

3 p.m. & 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 22, 2010
Martin E. Segal Theatre. Free!