Alison Irvine Promotes Interdisciplinary Collaboration

The New School featured Alison Irvine for promoting interdisciplinary collaboration between artists and scientists.

Alison Irvine is an executive board member of the Biodesign Challenge and a New School alumnus. Biodesign Challenge, founded by Daniel Grushkin, aims to solve global issues related to sustainability and biodesign through interdisciplinary collaboration and biodesign education.

Irvine recounts being inspired by Professor Katayoun Chanmany's lecture and how she communicated the impact of novel technologies rooted in traditional science concepts. This led to her pursuing Interdisciplinary Science at the New School.

She ended up taking Chanmany’s 6-credit Genetics lab course. Chamany recounts how the theatre major was unfazed in her challenging course. When asked more about her demeanor in the lab, Irvine explained how her experiences backstage have enabled her to become a quick thinker and improvise. Chamany was intrigued by this perspective and incorporated that framing with other students. Irvine’s experiences are proof that interdisciplinary collaborations can foster creative thinking.

Irvine states that the Interdisciplinary Sciences program at the New School enabled her to combine her two passions and broaden her worldview. Now, Irvine is a science writer, educator, and communications specialist.