Culture
Athena Cinema Receives $8,500 “Science on Screen” Grant
By: Claire Berlin
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The Athena Cinema have announced that they have been awarded an $8,500 grant to produce four “Science on Screen” events for the 2014-15 year.
The Athena Cinema was one of 20 non-profit cinemas nationwide selected for the Science on Screen program, where movies are paired with a short talk with a scientist or technology expert.
The free, fun and engaging Science on Screen events offer dynamic speakers an unexpected jumping point to teach their field of expertise in a way that is accessible to a diverse audience.
Science on Screen grants are provided by the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
“The College of Fine Arts is thrilled that the Athena Cinema has successfully competed for Science on Screen funding for a third year,” said Margaret Kennedy-Dygas, dean College of Fine Arts. “We are committed to infusing the arts into the core identity of Ohio University, which happens so successfully when the arts partner with other academic disciplines on campus.”
This year marks the third year that the Athena Cinema has been awarded a grant and participated in the Science on Screen project. During the past two years, the max grant funding available was $7,000, which the Athena Cinema received both times.
This year the max was $8,500, which the Athena Cinema received based on their programming proposal for this year and the success of last year’s event.
Participating theaters are encouraged to create their own unique Science on Screen program. The Athena’s Science on Screen program, “or science movie mash-ups” as they’ve dubbed them, have taken the opportunity to customize the Athena’s events by emphasizing audience interaction through Q&A’s and other fun, hands-on “show and tell” extras.
From engineering students demonstrating a “Farm of the Future” in the lobby to movie-themed pizzas, the events offer enlightenment and entertainment. Their speaker/movie pairings have even been featured on the NPR program Science Friday.
“With the ever growing popularity of science programs, like TED TALKS and Science Friday, we feel Science on Screen is a great forum to engage students and community members from all disciplines in an exciting and accessible shared educational experience,” said Alexandra Kamody, operations director for the Athena Cinema.
On Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. there will be a special one-night only encore screening of Particle Fever, led by Dr. David Ingram as a lead-in to the upcoming Science on Screen series. Dr. Ingram will introduce Particle Fever and a short Q&A will follow the screening.
After a sellout of the event at the 41st Athens International Film and Video Festival, organizers decided to offer it for one-night-only encore. Free admission for the screening is sponsored by Arts for Ohio and the OU Department of Physics and Astronomy.
IF YOU GO:
Tuesday, Sept. 23: Particle Fever with Dr. David Ingram , 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Oct. 14: There Will Be Blood with Srdjan Nesic, 7 p.m.
Free admission for both screenings