“All That is Needed is Attention,” New York Encounter, New York City, Feb 15, 2025

Marveling at nature in scientific research with Martin Nowak, Professor of Mathematics and Biology, Harvard University, and Rob Phillips, Professor of Biophysics, Biology, and Physics at the California Institute of Technology, moderated by Evelyn Tang, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University

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It has become increasingly difficult to pay attention to what is in front of us. We have lost the habit of marveling at things and are thus often deprived of a fundamental human experience. The speakers will dialogue on the essential role that attentive observation and wonder play in scientific research and education. They will also address how the practice of science, starting from the experience of awe and curiosity about nature, can evoke existential questions that lead to ultimate meaning.

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Image: Morton East Bilingual Club High School youth (Lyons, IL) watching the solar eclipse with their science teacher