Announcing Interdisciplinary Media Arts, a New Center at Georgia Tech

Art can be a powerful partner in sparking innovation and inspiring critical thinking about the impact of science and technology in an increasingly complex world. To support this crucial role for the arts at Georgia Tech, the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts and the Georgia Tech Library are partnering to create a new center called Interdisciplinary Media Arts (IMA).

The center's focus is enhancing artistic expression on campus, preparing students for careers as creative makers and innovators, and helping faculty develop creative approaches to improving scientific and technological research and outreach.

IMA will be administratively housed in the Ivan Allen College and draw participants from across campus. It will seek to enhance opportunities for sciences and engineering faculty seeking to creatively enhance their scholarship, consider creative approaches to public engagement, and find new ways to think critically about the societal impacts of technological innovation.

“Art is not new to the Ivan Allen College. We have been teaching visualization, AR/VR, literary arts, poetry, science fiction, and the use of interactive media for a long time,” said Kaye Husbands Fealing, dean and Ivan Allen Jr. Chair in the Ivan Allen College. “However, this center does mark an important milestone in our continuing commitment to integrating inquiry in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and STEM disciplines.”

In addition to deep subject matter expertise on community outreach and public engagement, the Georgia Tech Library brings unparalleled experience in energizing cross-campus collaboration, said Leslie Sharp, Dean of the Library.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts scholars from across campus to bring the Interdisciplinary Media Arts Center to fruition,” Sharp said. “One of our core areas of focus at the Library is collaboration with researchers, students, and faculty across campus — bringing their unique scholarship to life, then giving it a place to flourish and influence future work.”

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