Join us for a special show in partnership with Summit IndieFest in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on May 2nd! From the interconnected dimensions of physics and jazz, to the sometimes chaotic, sometimes therapeutic effect that music has on our bodies, join our tellers as they explore how music and science are inextricably linked.
Hosted by Maryam Zaringhalam and Kellie Vinal.
Stories by:
Physicist and musician Stephon Alexander has straddled the worlds of theoretical physics and jazz music over the last two decades. He works on the connection between the smallest and largest entities in the universe pushing Einstein’s theory of curved space-time to extremes, beyond the big bang with sub atomic phenomena. He is a Professor of Physics at Brown University, with previous appointments at Stanford University, Imperial College, Penn State, Dartmouth College, and Haverford College. Alexander is a specialist in the field of string cosmology, where the physics of superstrings are applied to address longstanding questions in cosmology. In 2001, he co-invented the model of inflation based on higher dimensional hypersurfaces in string theory called D-Branes.
Dana Boebinger is a PhD student in the Harvard-MIT program in Speech and Hearing Bioscience and Technology, studying how the human brain understands complex sounds like speech and music. She is also Co-Director of Harvard Science in the News, a graduate student organization that works to bridge the communication gap between scientists and non-scientists through free public lectures, online blogs, science cafes, podcasts, outreach programming, and more. In her little remaining free time, Dana plays the flute in a few local orchestras, traverses the Charles River with MIT's rowing club, and obsesses over her cats Duke and Ella.
Joel Greer is captivated by music. Through his work as the founder of SUMMIT Indie Fest and a youth non-profit, he spends his days working with youth and showing the world the benefit and beauty of music. Out of a passionate belief in possibilities and potential of independent artists, he works to provide opportunities to thrive and connect. His early formative experiences taught him what a difference one song or one musical experience can make in someone’s life. His whole life experience has also taught him how to appreciate the feelings music can invoke and the drive to bring this to the larger community.
Theresa Okokon is a Wisconsin native, a yoga teacher, a social worker, a storyteller, and the co-host of WGBH & Massmouth's Stories from the Stage - the first nationally televised show dedicated entirely to live storytelling. In addition to writing and performing her own stories, Theresa also coaches other storytellers, volunteers to host story slam events, and frequently emcees events for nonprofits. She works in nonprofit development, and also owns and operates a small business called LEGIT.yoga, where she provides trauma-responsive yoga to people at Boston-area homeless shelters, low-income housing communities, and alternative schools. She loves sandwiches, hammocks, crafting cocktails, cooking without a recipe, and laughter.
Hannah Vincent has been singing since birth. She has participated in just under fifteen community theater productions around the state of Massachusetts. She has played roles ranging from romantic lead to moving scenery, and always gives 100% to any role assigned. She is known within her community as being the player “most likely to surprise you in a production.” Although she loves to sing and perform, the thing she is most grateful for is the life-long friends she has made through these productions. It is through these friendships that She has found a path to radical self-love. She works with children by day, and she can be found, many nights, on her living room floor doing arts and crafts.