Ben Knapp, Aki Ishida, Ivo Bukvic & Liesl Baum: Building a New Way Forward By Embracing Transdisciplinarity

Podcast Interview with Ben Knapp, Aki Ishida, Ivo Bukvic & Liesl Baum from Virginia Tech ICAT In this episode, Ben Knapp and other members of the leadership group at the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) discuss how they launched their transdisciplinary work. They dig into how they bridge institutional departments and colleges in search of new understandings. They talk specifically about how they have connected the arts and sciences in order to break down disciplinary boundaries and build something entirely new that moves forward with scholarship. Notably, they talk about how each discipline can learn from others when they are allowed to be flexible and follow their curiosity and creativity. Ben Knapp is the Founding Director of the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT) and Professor of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. Dr. Knapp also leads the Music, Sensors, and Emotion research group, with researchers in the UK and the US. For more than 20 years, Dr. Knapp has been working to create meaningful links between human-computer interaction, universal design, and various forms of creativity. His research on human-computer interaction has focused on the development and design of user-interfaces and software that allow both composers and performers to augment the physical control of a musical instrument with direct sensory interaction. He holds twelve patents and is the co-inventor of the BioMuse system, which enables artists to use gesture, cognition, and emotional state to interact with audio and video media.Aki Ishida is a registered architect, Associate Professor of Architecture, and the Interim Associate Director of the School of Architecture + Design. Since joining Virginia Tech in 2012, she has collaborated with ICAT affiliates on multiple interactive light installations and healthcare design projects. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture with distinction from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. She practiced architecture for 17 years in New York City prior to arriving at Virginia Tech.A transdisciplinary creative, Ivica Ico Bukvic's work is defined by community building through creative enabling technologies and experiences. Bukvic’s output encompasses aural, visual, acoustic, electronic, performances, installations, technologies, research publications, presentations, grants, patent disclosures, and awards. His most recent work focuses on multisensory immersion with a particular focus on spatial audio and immersive sonification, new interfaces for musical expression, exploring connections between the arts and human health, and recontextualizing STEM K-12 education through innovative approaches to creativity and technology. Bukvic has spent most of his career as a scholar-practitioner developing new transdisciplinary trajectories. Between 2011 and 2019 he has received more than $1 million in external funding.Liesl Baum is a research professor associated with ICAT. She is the head of the Idea Studio, which is dedicated to promoting critical and creative thinking skills. She is primarily interested in creating a culture of transdisciplinary collaboration for both teachers and students in K-12 education. Together with her studio team, she develops programs to connect students and teachers to the culture being fostered at ICAT. Interviewers: Sabith Khan, Ph.D. Student in Planning, Governance, & Globalization; Sarah Halverson-Fried, Master's Student in Urban and Regional Planning