Special Screening of Observer at the Avalon Theater

Sarah Goodwin, PhD, Executive Director of the Science Communication Lab as well as Executive Producer of OBSERVER and series host Jason Dick, Editor in Chief of Roll Call, discuss why simple observation of natural phenomenon is so important and how it can lead to a deeper understanding of not just the subject matter but the people, culture and broader world around it.

About the Film: In OBSERVER, filmmaker Ian Cheney embarks on an experiment in which he brings a series of keen-eyed observers – scientists, artists, a hunter – to a range of locations around the world, often without telling them where they are going, and asks them simply to describe what they see. What unfolds is a deep exploration and celebration of the power of observation: what happens when you find new ways to sense and perceive the world around you? With customary whimsy and a small painted red square that Cheney brings on every journey, the film is an invitation to viewers to find beauty and meaning in even the most quotidian of locales.

ONE SHOW ONLY! Wednesday, December 3 @ 7:30PM in Avalon 1

About the Speakers:

Sarah Goodwin, PhD, is the Executive Director of the Science Communication Lab, where she has worked with hundreds of scientists from around the world to produce videos, short films, and feature documentaries to demystify the nature of science and illuminate the many personalities and backgrounds of scientists. Under Goodwin’s leadership, the SCL has grown into a multi-faceted collaboration between scientists, filmmakers, educators, and researchers. Goodwin was a Producer and the lead science advisor on the SCL’s Emmy-nominated and award-winning documentary, HUMAN NATURE. In 2023, Goodwin received a top award from the National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications. Goodwin received her PhD in Cell Biology from the University of California, San Francisco.

Jason Dick is the editor in chief of CQ Roll Call and the host of its Political Theater podcast.He has also worked at National Journal and for the AmeriCorps program, and is a former English teacher at the university and high school levels. A one-time screener for the SXSW Film Festival, he is a native of Arizona and lives on Capitol Hill.

Science on Screen® launched at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, MA in 2005. In partnership with the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and its pioneering nationwide film program, the Coolidge has expanded Science on Screen to 122 cinemas nationwide. Throughout the academic year, SoS creatively pairs screenings of classic, cult, science fiction, and documentary films with lively presentations by notable experts from the world of science and technology. Each film is used as a jumping-off point for a speaker to introduce current research or technological advances in a manner that engages popular culture audiences—enhancing film and scientific literacy through film.

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