As an intern for the Institute of the Arts and Sciences, I aided in the installation of the internationally renowned art and science project the Crochet Coral Reef (designed by Christine and Margaret Wertheim), which raises awareness around issues of ocean health. Along with the other interns I was working with, we were responsible for overseeing the creation and installation of the Santa Cruz Satellite Reef as part of that project. Getting to work with community members of Santa Cruz and students on this project was very exciting and helped the project evolve further into long-lasting friendships.
My involvement with the Institute of the Arts and Sciences gave me the opportunity to gain some experience in working directly with artists and within the field of art, and also allowed me to engage in analytical conversations about how art can be used as a tool to respond to critical issues. As an intern, I also participated in organizing IAS’s events, including an artist speaking series, conference, and field trips. More recently I have assisted in coordinating campus visits by artists like Tania Bruguera and Isaac Julien for the IAS’s series of artist talks: TRACTION. This exposed to me to a great of array of artists, scholars, and activists who have inspired me to want to pursue research at a graduate level.
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