Fredonia College Foundation funds awarded for cross-disciplinary projects
The Costello Interplay Award Fund was established by Fredonia alumnus Dennis R.,’72, and Kathryn L. Costello with the Fredonia College Foundation in 2016. In 2018, a new collaboration has provided increased funding with Costello Interplay Award funds matched by the foundation’s Phyllis and Lawrence Patrie Endowment for the Sciences.
 |
 |
| Peter Tucker |
Dr. Jon TItus |
 |
 |
| Dr. Michael Grady |
Bernd Göttinger |
The interplay award provides grants to faculty members and students at Fredonia for projects which explore the intersections between the visual and performing arts and the natural and mathematical sciences. The fund encourages collaborative exploration, research and creativity resulting in new work that is enriched by both fields.
Two proposals have been selected for 2018. Department of Visual Arts and New Media Associate Professor Peter Tucker and Department of Biology Associate Professor Jon Titus have devised “Wildlife Woodworking.” They will be designing and constructing habitats for bats, Chimney Swifts, bees, Northern Flying Squirrels and Spiny Softshelled Turtles, as well as an educational campaign in collaboration with local civic groups. Tucker and Titus will be working with eight students, four each from visual arts and biology, during the spring semester and into the summer.
In Fall 2018, School of Music Associate Professor Bernd Göttinger and Department of Physics Professor Michael Grady will create an electroacoustic enhancement system to understand and improve the acoustics in King Concert Hall and possibly other performance venues around the campus. They will be assisted by the entire junior class of the Sound Recording Technology program in the School of Music, whose major requires courses in both music and physics.
Faculty and students gain a deeper understanding of one another’s areas of practice and inquiry through the projects, enhancing their future work as artists and scientists. The fund is administered jointly by Dean of the College of Visual and Performing Arts Ralph Blasting and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Andy Karafa.
