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For the third year in a row, The Rosendale Theatre is one of only 36 proud recipients of the nationwide Science on Screen® Grant Program. This competitive program is funded by the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation–a grant-making institution dedicated to the public understanding of science. The series, for which the Rosendale Theatre had been awarded a grant since the 2019-2020 season, pairs film screenings with presentations by scientists.
This year, for the first time, we hope to present the films and presentations live in the theater. Under the theme of Look Up, Look Down, Look Around, three films with afterwards discussions are planned. Participants for the panels will be announced before the film dates.
As part of this series, we assembled an outstanding panel of experts to complement two films: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, and William and the Windmill. The Panel included: Cameron Zohoori, filmmaker, editor and producer; Joanne Sandler social justice advocate in southern African nations; Shereen Essof, Executive Director of JASS; Wendy Saul, former President of the International Book Bank; Dr. Rachmadian Wulandana, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at SUNY, New Paltz; Andrew Goodin, award-winning high school teacher.
Based on the book by Dr. Oliver Sacks, MD., a screening of the Academy Award winning film, Awakenings, was followed by an online discussion titled: Brain Teaser: Neuroscience and Ethics in Experimentation–More Tales of How Science Works with panelists: Joyce Sprafkin, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatry, SUNY Stony Brook; Stephen Post, Ph.D., Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care & Bioethics, SUNY Stony Brook; Iris Granek, M.D., Chairperson Family Medicine Department, SUNY Stony Brook; Lory Bright-Long, M.D., Geriatric Psychiatrist, SUNY Stony Brook
Exploring issues facing modern society, the film asked: What is artificial intelligence? What are the Bias in AI design and racial and gender discrimination? If Science makes mistakes along the way: Who decides what is acceptable error is? Our screening of CODED BIAS included a panel discussion with: Maureen Morrow, Ph.D., Biology and Virology, SUNY New Paltz; Keith O’Hara, Ph.D., Computer Science Program, Bard College; Adriana Babino, Senior Advisor to the New York State Senate Sub-Committee on Technology, Tyrell Connor, Ph.D., Criminology & Sociology Department, SUNY New Paltz
Rosendale Theatre Board members Pam Kray and Wendy Saul interviewed former astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman. Hoffman, now a professor at MIT participated in five missions aboard the Space Shuttle, including a repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The discussion on death as a part of life and as an intersection between spirit and body, between spirituality and science was showcased as an online discussion, paired with the film, To Dust, with Lawrence Bush, Editor Emeritus: Jewish Currents, and Barbara Sarah, Award-winning community activist and social worker, local moderator of Death Cafe.
To Dust (2018), directed by Shawn Snyder and featuring Matthew Broderick and Geza Rohrig.
A panel discussion on the science of viruses took place with Dr. Maureen Morrow, Professor of Biology and Virology, SUNY New Paltz; Dr. David Esteban, Professor of Virology, Vassar College; and Jim Metzner, Journalist and Host of Pulse of the Planet, as discussion moderator.
