Speaker: Dr. Mariel Pettee, Yale University

Date: May 14th

Time: 3:30-4:30PM – via zoom: https://seattleu.zoom.us/j/99822263149

Abstract from Dr. Pettee: While completing my physics PhD, I pursued independent research in developing custom AI tools to generate and analyze my own dance movements. What started as a curiosity-driven side project grew into me leading several teams of researchers across academia, industry, and the arts to pioneer the state-of-the-art in AI-generated choreography using techniques including Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) and Graph Neural Networks (GNNs). In this talk, I'll discuss not only these AI models and their generative capabilities for choreography, but also the motivations that guided me in shaping this research trajectory. Finally, I'll share how this work might suggest some interesting solutions to urgent questions in my other research domain: high-energy particle physics.

How this relates to you: This is a great opportunity to hear how Dr. Pettee has combined Art and Physics in her work. We can see the importance of including Art in STEM so it becomes STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics.) It will be of interest to Computer Science Majors as well as Engineering Majors and Physics Majors as Dr. Pettee will share details of the AI tools.