Why Aesthetics is Essential for Science Education with Dr. Punya Mishra

Beauty At Work

Dr. Punya Mishra is Associate Dean of Scholarship & Innovation and Professor in the Division of Educational Leadership & Innovation in the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College at Arizona State University. He is internationally recognized for his work in technology integration in teaching; the role of creativity and aesthetics in learning; and the application of design-based approaches to educational innovation. He has received over $7 million in grants, published over 100 articles, and edited 3 books. He is an award-winning teacher, an engaging public speaker, as well as an accomplished visual artist and poet. And like any true Douglas Adams fan, he is interested in life, the universe, and everything.

In this episode we talk about:

1. How Dr. Mishra began seeing the beauty of the world through science
2. How can we revive the sense of wonder and curiosity in our classrooms?
3. How education fails to cultivate the skill of curiosity and perception
4. The role of beauty in science
5. Dr. Mishra’s framework to better understand aesthetics in science
6. Can curiosity be both helpful and harmful?
7. Why do the aesthetics of coding matter?
8. Can learning about the aesthetics of science help cultivate public trust?
9. How can we develop generative curiosity?
10. Why are the aesthetic aspects of science important?

To learn more about Dr. Mishra work, visit: https://punyamishra.com/
You can also find him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/punyamishra

Resources Mentioned:
Dr. Mishra's framework for the role of aesthetics in STEM education:
https://punyamishra.com/2019/02/10/aesthetics-stem-education-introducing-a-new-framework/

Creativity & the Mindful Wanderings of Dr. Jonathan Schooler: https://punyamishra.com/2022/06/22/mindful-wandering-creativity-new-article/
This episode is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust as part of a grant on the aesthetic dimensions of science (TRT0296). To learn more about them, visit www.templetonreligiontrust.org
This episode is also sponsored by the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, a global research center located at the University of Southern California. IACS works to create dialogue, spark ideas and sustain academic research on Catholic thought, creative imagination and lived experience. Learn more at iacs.usc.edu
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