YQI AiR

Launched in Spring 2017, this series works at the intersection of science and the humanities to combat quantum physics phobia — and science phobia more broadly. Using music, art, design, games, and even crochet as points of entry, we invite experts to cast new light on often-overlooked aspects of scientific work and to open a wider conversation about quantum physics, mathematics, and science.


Open to a diverse audience of undergraduates, faculty, staff, and New Haven residents alike, these events invite all of us to reflect on the role science plays in daily life — and aim to leave a lasting impression on young attendees who may go on to consider a career in STEM.


This series is co-sponsored by The Franke Program for Science and the Humanities

Nancy Baker Cahill & Jesse Damiani — On Fundamental AR (Attention Research): Visualizing the Invisible through Augmented Reality & Poetic Imagination, October 1, 2025

Nancy Baker Cahill & Jesse Damiani

On Fundamental AR (Attention Research): Visualizing the Invisible through Augmented Reality & Poetic Imagination
Monica Ong — Planetaria: Visual Poetry & Star Gazing — Live Reading & Planetarium Show, March 26, 2025

Monica Ong

Planetaria: Visual Poetry & Star Gazing — Live Reading & Planetarium Show
James Wootton — The Quantum Mothman: Quantum technology for music, gaming, and creative productions, February 7, 2025

James Wootton

The Quantum Mothman: Quantum technology for music, gaming, and creative productions
Toni Dove — Embodied Machines & Human Operated Instruments: working in a field that doesn't exist yet, November 12, 2024

Toni Dove

Embodied Machines & Human Operated Instruments: working in a field that doesn't exist yet
Serena Scapagnini — The Shape of Thoughts: down the flowing river of tributaries neurons, June 10, 2024

Serena Scapagnini

The Shape of Thoughts: down the flowing river of tributaries neurons
Nicholas Milkovich — Your cells are leaking! — The uncanny biomechanical world of polyethylene art, May 1, 2024

Nicholas Milkovich

Your cells are leaking! — The uncanny biomechanical world of polyethylene art
Klem Jankiewicz — Quantum is in. Code is out! — Designing no-code experiences for user-interactions with quantum technology, October 4, 2023

Klem Jankiewicz

Quantum is in. Code is out! — Designing no-code experiences for user-interactions with quantum technology
Karen Barad — Spooky Objects: The particle wave duality nature of light, November 3, 2022 — collaboration with CCAM

Karen Barad

Spooky Objects: The particle wave duality nature of light
Stewart Smith — For The Hapless Dreamers: Digital Art meets Quantum Simulations, June 30, 2022

Stewart Smith

For The Hapless Dreamers: Digital Art meets Quantum Simulations
Stephone Alexander — Fear of a black universe: an outsider's guide to the future of physics, May 12, 2022

Stephone Alexander

Fear of a black universe: an outsider's guide to the future of physics
Paul Miller aka DJ Spooky — Particle Plateaux — An informal history of invisible things, October 7, 2021

Paul Miller aka DJ Spooky

Particle Plateaux — An informal history of invisible things
Ben Okri — Alternative Realities for the Living, February 12, 2021

Ben Okri

Alternative Realities for the Living
Werner Sun — Taking a Random Walk, January 28, 2020

Werner Sun

Taking a Random Walk
Rowan Jacobsen — The Nature of Nature, September 5, 2019

Rowan Jacobsen

The Nature of Nature
Spencer Topel — Immaterial Waves, Light, Sound and Architecture, February 28, 2019

Spencer Topel

Immaterial Waves, Light, Sound and Architecture
Doug Stone — Einstein and the Quantum, November 8, 2018

Doug Stone

Einstein and the Quantum
Philip Ball — The heretical idea of making people artificially, September 26, 2018

Philip Ball

The heretical idea of making people artificially
Dante Lauretta — OSIRIS Rex and the XTRONAUTS, March 29, 2018

Dante Lauretta

OSIRIS Rex and the XTRONAUTS
Daina Taimina — Crocheting adventures with the hyperbolic places, December 5, 2017

Daina Taimina

Crocheting adventures with the hyperbolic places
Adele Myers & Emily Coates — Einstein's happiest dance, September 28, 2017

Adele Myers & Emily Coates

Einstein's happiest dance
Martha Lewis — So close I can almost taste it, April 4, 2017

Martha Lewis

So close I can almost taste it
Michael Berry — How quantum physics democratized music, February 9, 2017

Michael Berry

How quantum physics democratized music