The Art of Science | Storm Lewis | TEDxERMurrowHigh

hello so it wasn’t until my senior year

hello so it wasn’t until my senior year in high school that I considered the

in high school that I considered the

in high school that I considered the importance of interdisciplinary learning

importance of interdisciplinary learning

importance of interdisciplinary learning starting from young age art has always

starting from young age art has always

starting from young age art has always been a priority so I pursued it right

been a priority so I pursued it right

been a priority so I pursued it right after middle school I applied to the

after middle school I applied to the

after middle school I applied to the screened art program here at Murrow

screened art program here at Murrow

screened art program here at Murrow got in and began my high school career

got in and began my high school career

got in and began my high school career as an artist basically courses offered I

as an artist basically courses offered I

as an artist basically courses offered I thought that I was going to be a curator

thought that I was going to be a curator

thought that I was going to be a curator a graphic designer or a starving artist

a graphic designer or a starving artist

a graphic designer or a starving artist and although I respect the craft

and although I respect the craft

and although I respect the craft somewhere along the line I felt that I

somewhere along the line I felt that I

somewhere along the line I felt that I was capable of producing more than art

was capable of producing more than art

was capable of producing more than art eventually I joined the MSTAR program

eventually I joined the MSTAR program

eventually I joined the MSTAR program which provided the platform to

which provided the platform to

which provided the platform to experiment in science research and in

experiment in science research and in

experiment in science research and in this program we did technical writing to

this program we did technical writing to

this program we did technical writing to prepare us to write a 15 page research

prepare us to write a 15 page research

prepare us to write a 15 page research paper on an experiment of our choice and

paper on an experiment of our choice and

paper on an experiment of our choice and I found that the skills I’ll use in this

I found that the skills I’ll use in this

I found that the skills I’ll use in this class would actually aid me in other

class would actually aid me in other

class would actually aid me in other classes for instance we developed the

classes for instance we developed the

classes for instance we developed the ability to find credible information on

ability to find credible information on

ability to find credible information on a subject and critically analyze it in a

a subject and critically analyze it in a

a subject and critically analyze it in a way that connects to the question at

way that connects to the question at

way that connects to the question at hand yet in my art class we needed to

hand yet in my art class we needed to

hand yet in my art class we needed to use the same skills and one assignment

use the same skills and one assignment

use the same skills and one assignment required us to pick a line in a poem and

required us to pick a line in a poem and

required us to pick a line in a poem and create a piece of artwork and so my

create a piece of artwork and so my

create a piece of artwork and so my teacher handed us a poem called The

teacher handed us a poem called The

teacher handed us a poem called The Waste Land by TS Eliot and sent us off

Waste Land by TS Eliot and sent us off

Waste Land by TS Eliot and sent us off to do whatever we saw fit but before I

to do whatever we saw fit but before I

to do whatever we saw fit but before I could produce a piece with any depth I

could produce a piece with any depth I

could produce a piece with any depth I had to do some research on the subject

had to do some research on the subject

had to do some research on the subject in order to fully interpret the work of

in order to fully interpret the work of

in order to fully interpret the work of literature and one of the lines in the

literature and one of the lines in the

literature and one of the lines in the first stanza specifically caught my

first stanza specifically caught my

first stanza specifically caught my attention it said April is the cruelest

attention it said April is the cruelest

attention it said April is the cruelest month and with the help of classmate we

month and with the help of classmate we

month and with the help of classmate we deducted that Elliott was referencing a

deducted that Elliott was referencing a

deducted that Elliott was referencing a time of war which resulted in a massive

time of war which resulted in a massive

time of war which resulted in a massive dead bodies covered by the snow and

dead bodies covered by the snow and

dead bodies covered by the snow and inevitably the warm weather in April

inevitably the warm weather in April

inevitably the warm weather in April would melt the snow and reveal the

would melt the snow and reveal the

would melt the snow and reveal the remnants of war and so the meaning of

remnants of war and so the meaning of

remnants of war and so the meaning of this line inspired me to create an

this line inspired me to create an

this line inspired me to create an entire series of oil paintings and so

entire series of oil paintings and so

entire series of oil paintings and so here’s Odum

and despite what I was learning from

and despite what I was learning from both courses doing both was hard really

both courses doing both was hard really

both courses doing both was hard really hard I found that in my junior

hard I found that in my junior

hard I found that in my junior particularly I was spreading myself too

particularly I was spreading myself too

particularly I was spreading myself too thin starting at 8:00 a.m. I would go

thin starting at 8:00 a.m. I would go

thin starting at 8:00 a.m. I would go straight to ap biology for two periods

straight to ap biology for two periods

straight to ap biology for two periods then immediately following I had AP

then immediately following I had AP

then immediately following I had AP English and right after that I had

English and right after that I had

English and right after that I had advanced mixed media course and from

advanced mixed media course and from

advanced mixed media course and from there with no lunch break or free period

there with no lunch break or free period

there with no lunch break or free period I would run from the fourth floor to the

I would run from the fourth floor to the

I would run from the fourth floor to the first just to grab lunch only to go

first just to grab lunch only to go

first just to grab lunch only to go straight to my advanced oil painting

straight to my advanced oil painting

straight to my advanced oil painting class followed by honors US history and

class followed by honors US history and

class followed by honors US history and after the school day I would muster up

after the school day I would muster up

after the school day I would muster up the energy to go straight to an art

the energy to go straight to an art

the energy to go straight to an art related after program at a place like

related after program at a place like

related after program at a place like the Whitney or the new Museum and I

the Whitney or the new Museum and I

the Whitney or the new Museum and I found that I was more focused on

found that I was more focused on

found that I was more focused on completing the work assigned from each

completing the work assigned from each

completing the work assigned from each class that I couldn’t actually absorb

class that I couldn’t actually absorb

class that I couldn’t actually absorb all of the information out of a six hour

all of the information out of a six hour

all of the information out of a six hour school day I was spending two hours on

school day I was spending two hours on

school day I was spending two hours on art and another two on biology and I was

art and another two on biology and I was

art and another two on biology and I was I was trying to complete the work rather

I was trying to complete the work rather

I was trying to complete the work rather than actually hone each skill however I

than actually hone each skill however I

than actually hone each skill however I shouldn’t have to overwhelm myself just

shouldn’t have to overwhelm myself just

shouldn’t have to overwhelm myself just to pursue two areas of study that

to pursue two areas of study that

to pursue two areas of study that actually go along with each other and if

actually go along with each other and if

actually go along with each other and if we combine both art and science into one

we combine both art and science into one

we combine both art and science into one course then it would allow for students

course then it would allow for students

course then it would allow for students like me to pursue two areas of study

like me to pursue two areas of study

like me to pursue two areas of study while in the timespan of one course the

while in the timespan of one course the

while in the timespan of one course the type of course I’m talking about could

type of course I’m talking about could

type of course I’m talking about could use art to understand science or science

use art to understand science or science

use art to understand science or science understand art for instance in my

understand art for instance in my

understand art for instance in my biology class if we did a close study of

biology class if we did a close study of

biology class if we did a close study of molecular structures using oil paint or

molecular structures using oil paint or

molecular structures using oil paint or charcoal that I may have better

charcoal that I may have better

charcoal that I may have better understood that unit or in my art class

understood that unit or in my art class

understood that unit or in my art class we could have did a close study of the

we could have did a close study of the

we could have did a close study of the anatomy from a scientific point of view

anatomy from a scientific point of view

anatomy from a scientific point of view and then realizing that my courses could

and then realizing that my courses could

and then realizing that my courses could be more dynamic I began to understand

be more dynamic I began to understand

be more dynamic I began to understand that incorporating interdisciplinary

that incorporating interdisciplinary

that incorporating interdisciplinary perspectives in the classroom setting is

perspectives in the classroom setting is

perspectives in the classroom setting is a crucial component of learning and

a crucial component of learning and

a crucial component of learning and unfortunately classes at Moreau

unfortunately classes at Moreau

unfortunately classes at Moreau typically feature one area of study

typically feature one area of study

typically feature one area of study which is limiting in that it breaks

which is limiting in that it breaks

which is limiting in that it breaks connections between two areas that

connections between two areas that

connections between two areas that actually complement each other

actually complement each other

actually complement each other and in retrospect the things I did in my

and in retrospect the things I did in my

and in retrospect the things I did in my science in art class actually went along

science in art class actually went along

science in art class actually went along with each other but I would have never

with each other but I would have never

with each other but I would have never made those connections had I stuck to

made those connections had I stuck to

made those connections had I stuck to one area studied the way

one area studied the way

one area studied the way child’s encouraged to this is why we

child’s encouraged to this is why we

child’s encouraged to this is why we should restructure our courses to

should restructure our courses to

should restructure our courses to incorporate interdisciplinary

incorporate interdisciplinary

incorporate interdisciplinary perspectives and in that we can improve

perspectives and in that we can improve

perspectives and in that we can improve upon the way in which we learn and

upon the way in which we learn and

upon the way in which we learn and appeal to students like me who have

appeal to students like me who have

appeal to students like me who have several areas of interest thank you

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]