Imagination Salons
Imagination is a fundamental human capacity, practiced by individuals, communities, and cultures the world over. The act of imagination, creating mental images and simulations beyond our direct, physical experience, is the ignition system for creativity, anticipation, collaborative problem-solving, and resilience—the skills we need to navigate the global challenges of the twenty-first century. Yet outside of early childhood and in a few creative settings, this ability remains woefully underdeveloped in our societies today.
Starting in 2021, the Center for Science and the Imagination aims to intervene in this divide through a new research project on Applied Imagination. Convening a multi-institutional network of scholars, educators, community leaders, policy thinkers, and practitioners, we will explore how imagination is seen, valued, and practiced across a variety of contexts. Informed by this work, we will catalyze new collaborations, projects, and trainings that can be used and adapted by educators, facilitators, learners across a multitude of settings.
This project is made possible by a grant from the Spencer Foundation.
Fabrice Guerrier
This episode of Imagination Desk features Fabrice Guerrier. In this conversation, Fabrice discusses how he uses imagination, and how imagination can be used to create better social futures.
Laura Tohe
This episode of the Imagination Desk features Laura Tohe, poet laureate of the Navajo Nation for 2015-2019, discussing how imagination informs her work and how it is used in both the poetry community and Indigenous communities.
Corey Pressman
This episode of Imagination Desk features Corey Pressman. In this conversation, Corey discusses what applied imagination means to him, his work, and the future.
Lisa K. Solomon
This episode of Imagination Desk features Lisa Kay Solomon. In this conversation, Lisa discusses different applications of design thinking and futures thinking, and incorporating creativity and imagination into interdisciplinary fields and everyday life.
Imagination Salons
Imagination is a fundamental human capacity, practiced by individuals, communities, and cultures the world over. The act of imagination, creating mental images and simulations beyond our direct, physical experience, is