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• Bard Professor Antonios Kontos Awarded $351,951 Grant from the National Science Foundation
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  Bard Professor Antonios Kontos Awarded $351,951 Grant from the National Science Foundation

  

  Antonios Kontos, associate professor and director of physics at Bard College.
  

  Antonios Kontos, associate professor and director of physics at Bard College, has been awarded a research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Kontos’ proposal, titled “Stray Light Control for Cosmic Explorer,” has been awarded a total of $351,951 in funding over a period of three years, which will also cover student salaries, travel, and equipment.
  
  “Try to imagine a telescope that can hear every collision between two stars in the universe. That is what we are creating with the Cosmic Explorer detector,” said Kontos. “This award will allow students at Bard the opportunity to contribute to this remarkable project over the next three years.”
  
  Gravitational-wave astronomy, a subfield of astronomy focusing on the detection and study of gravitational waves emitted by astrophysical sources, has now opened a new window to the universe, which—along with conventional telescopes—significantly broadens our understanding of astrophysics and cosmology. The Cosmic Explorer project is a concept for a next-generation gravitational-wave observatory in the US, which will enable the detection of nearly every black-hole collision in the observable universe. The NSF award will allow a team of scientists and engineers to produce this initial conceptual design, and to develop technologies to facilitate the eventual realization of the Cosmic Explorer. The project will be undertaken in collaboration with the California Institute of Technology, which received a separate grant for the initiative.
  
  The NSF is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and US territories. It was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance the nation’s health, prosperity and welfare, and to secure the US national defense. Its investments account for about 25% of federal support to US colleges and universities for research driven by curiosity and discovery. NSF aims to keep the US at the leading edge of discovery in science and engineering, to the benefit of all, without barriers to participation.
  
  Post Date: 09-10-2024
  
• Bard College Awarded $68,445 NEH Digital Humanities Advancement Grant for the Center for Experimental Humanities
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  Bard College Awarded $68,445 NEH Digital Humanities Advancement Grant for the Center for Experimental Humanities

  

  L-R: Krista Caballero, codirector of Experimental Humanities and artist in residence (photo by Terry Roethlein); and Susan Merriam, codirector of Experimental Humanities and associate professor of art history and visual culture.
  

  Bard College is pleased to announce that the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has awarded a $68,445 grant in support of the Center for Experimental Humanities (EH) at Bard. The grant will support Solar-Powering the Humanities: Archiving for the Future, a new initiative by EH to creatively re-envision archives and the reliance of small institutions on external data storage providers. The project will redesign and migrate EH’s current digital archive, currently hosted on Amazon web services, to a “solar server” that the center will design, prototype and self-host.
  
  “Experimental Humanities at Bard College is grateful to receive funding from National Endowment for the Humanities to support the creation of a solar-powered server to host our extensive archives,” said Krista Caballero and Susan Merriam, codirectors of EH. “This project is important because recent research is clear that the environmental cost of our digital infrastructures is enormous; the Cloud has a greater carbon footprint than the airline industry. Solar-Powering the Humanities: Archiving for the Future emerged out of conversations regarding ways EH might incubate projects that explicitly address this ecological crisis. A collaboration among faculty in Computer Science, Physics, and the Arts as well as students, and staff, our designs will be made available so that other institutions can reimagine their archives to be self-sustaining and environmentally responsible.”
  
  Bard’s Experimental Humanities is an interdisciplinary center for experimentation with digital, analog, and conceptual methods of learning, research, and public engagement. EH works with media and technology from across historical periods, and is committed to the notion that embracing experimental approaches is essential to fostering practices that are inclusive for all learners and transformative for the societies in which we live. To learn more, visit https://eh.bard.edu/. 
  
  The team includes project co-directors Krista Caballero, co-director of the Center for Experimental Humanities and artist in residence; Valerie Barr, Margaret Hamilton Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and director of the Bard Network Computing Initiative; Beate Liepert, visiting professor in physics and environmental studies and director of environmental studies; Susan Merriam, co-director of the Center for Experimental Humanities and associate professor of art history and visual culture; as well as Misha Awad, developer for digital arts and humanities at the Center for Experimental Humanities; Sean Maguire, systems administrator in information technology; and Anna Hallett Gutierrez, project coordinator at the Center for Experimental Humanities.
  
  Post Date: 09-09-2024
  
• Bard Professor Heeryoon Shin Awarded $5,500 Fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council
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  Bard Professor Heeryoon Shin Awarded $5,500 Fellowship from the Asian Cultural Council

  

  Heeryoon Shin, assistant professor of art history and visual culture.
  

  Heeryoon Shin, assistant professor of art history and visual culture at Bard College, has been awarded an individual fellowship of $5,500 from the Asian Cultural Council in support of a new project in India. Shin’s research will focus on investigating the localized reception of blue-and-white ceramics in colonial India, and examine the innovative architectural reuse of Chinese, Dutch, and British ceramics in Indian interiors. Blue-and-white ceramics incorporated into palace interiors have been seen as derivative imitations of European practices of collecting and displaying ceramics, or have often been considered too foreign to be part of the narrative of India’s national art history. Shin’s project aims to reframe these historical spaces as sites of multilayered cultural exchanges facilitated by the creativity of Indian patrons and artists—and to ultimately contribute to the decolonization of global art history by emphasizing the Indian agency and initiative in ceramic practices and histories.
  
  Post Date: 09-03-2024
  
• Wihanble S’a Center at Bard College Receives $500,000 Grant and Named NEH Humanities Research Center on Artificial Intelligence
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  Wihanble S’a Center at Bard College Receives $500,000 Grant and Named NEH Humanities Research Center on Artificial Intelligence

  

  Suzanne Kite MFA ’18, director of the Wihanble S’a Center for Indigenous AI.
  

  Bard College is pleased to announce that the Wihanble S’a Center for Indigenous AI, directed by Dr. Suzanne Kite, distinguished artist in residence and assistant professor of American and Indigenous Studies, has been designated as a Humanities Research Center on AI by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This prestigious recognition will confer a $500,000 grant in support of the Center, and position Wihanble S’a at the forefront of innovative research that integrates Indigenous Knowledge systems with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
  
  Beginning in Fall 2024, the Wihanble S’a Center will embark on groundbreaking research aimed at developing ethical AI frameworks deeply rooted in Indigenous methodologies. The Center’s mission is to explore and address the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI through an Indigenous lens, ensuring that AI technologies reflect diverse perspectives and contribute positively to society.
  
  “This award is a tremendous honor and a recognition of the importance of American Indian perspectives in the rapidly evolving fields of AI,” said Dr. Kite, who is an award-winning Oglála Lakȟóta artist and academic, and Bard MFA ’18 alum. “Our goal is to develop ethical methodologies for systems grounded in Indigenous knowledge, offering new guidelines and models through collaboration between Indigenous scholars and AI researchers, challenging the predominantly Western approach to AI. Wihanble S’a (WEE hah blay SAH) means dreamer in Lakota, and we are dreaming of an abundant future.”
  
  The NEH designation will support the Center’s initiatives, including the establishment of a dedicated facility on Bard College’s Massena Campus. This facility will serve as a collaborative hub, bringing together scholars from across diverse academic disciplines—including computer science, cognitive and neuroscience, linguistics, ethics, and Indigenous Studies—to engage in interdisciplinary research and educational activities.
  
  In addition to research, the Center will host public events, workshops, and an interdisciplinary Fellowship and Visiting Scholars program, all aimed at advancing the field of Indigenous-informed AI. The Center’s work will complement the recruitment and support of Indigenous students ongoing at Bard’s Center for Indigenous Studies, enhancing Bard College’s commitment to being a leader in Indigenous studies in the United States as well as complementing Dr. Kite’s work with the international Abundant Intelligences Indigenous AI research program. Wihanble S’a Center’s designation as an NEH Humanities Research Center on AI underscores Bard College’s dedication to fostering innovative, socially responsible research that bridges the humanities and technological advancements.
  
  Post Date: 08-28-2024
  
• Bard College Conservatory Receives $50,006 Grant from New York State
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  Bard College Conservatory Receives $50,006 Grant from New York State

  

  László Z. Bitó Conservatory building.
  

  Bard College will receive a $50,006 grant as part of New York State’s Higher Education Capital Matching Grant Program, which supports projects at colleges and universities across the state by providing construction and renovation of laboratory and research spaces, the purchase of instructional technologies and equipment, and other significant investments. The grant will support the purchase of pianos and equipment for Bard’s László Z. Bitó Conservatory building. The equipment will be available to Bard’s community of students, faculty, and staff, as well as to the greater Hudson Valley community that participates in the opportunities Bard provides for learning, enrichment, and enjoyment. “New York’s colleges and universities are second to none, offering students unparalleled opportunities to learn, explore, and prepare to launch their careers,” Governor Hochul said. “With this funding, my administration is reaffirming our commitment to providing our students—including those at our private, not-for-profit institutions—with a top-tier, New York education with the best possible resources and facilities that will help them succeed inside and outside of the classroom.”
  

  Learn more
  

  
  Post Date: 07-08-2024