New NAS initiative to spur science in entertainment industry -- Nov. 19 press briefing in Los Angeles

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) will hold a press briefing to discuss its new initiative, the Science and Entertainment Exchange. The Exchange will connect entertainment industry professionals with top scientists and engineers to help the creators of television shows, films, video games, and other productions incorporate science into their work. The Exchange represents the Academy's first formal effort to reach out to the entertainment community and provide the creative minds of Hollywood with access to the creative minds of science. The Exchange is endorsed by the Directors Guild of America, the Producers Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, and Women in Film. For more about the initiative, visit http://www.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org/.

DETAILS:

The press briefing with Ralph J. Cicerone, president, National Academy of Sciences; Jerry Zucker, film director; and Janet Zucker, film producer, will take place on Nov. 19 from NOON to 12:30 P.M. PST, 2000 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles. Reporters must register in advance to attend.

###

CONTACT: Maureen O'Leary, director of public information, Office of News and Public Information at the National Academies, tel. 202-334-3875 or e-mail moleary@nas.edu

A telephone news conference call will be available live for those who cannot attend in person.
Nov. 19
Noon to 12:45pm EST
Phone # Toll-free: 866-866-2244 International: 404-260-1415
Passcode # 8030746

NOTE: Immediately following the press briefing is a symposium from 12:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. PST to discuss collaborations between science and entertainment and explore new projects. Participants will include writers, directors, producers, production designers, and executives, as well as scientists, health and medical professionals, and engineers. Seth MacFarlane will host the event. Reporters must register in advance to attend; this event is not open to the public.

SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS:

BONNIE BASSLER, director of graduate studies, department of molecular biology, Princeton University, Princeton, N.J.

RODNEY BROOKS, Panasonic Professor of Robotics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and chief technical officer, iRobot Corp.

STEVE CHU, director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; professor of physics and professor of molecular and cell biology, University of California, Berkeley; and 1997 Nobel Prize winner in physics

NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON, astrophysicist; and Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History, New York City

V.S. RAMACHANDRAN, director, Center for Brain and Cognition, University of California, San Diego

J. CRAIG VENTER, president, J. Craig Venter Institute

[ | E-mail |

Share ]

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.