On March 5, UNM Rainforest Innovations hosted the second installment in its three-part series called Creative People, Creative Places – Creative Technologies on the Mother Road. In honor of the Route 66 Centennial, the seminar aims to build connections and bridges across New Mexico’s creative ecosystem, engaging technologists and artists whose collaborative work drives entrepreneurial and economic development for the state.
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Larry Sklar, a distinguished professor emeritus in the Department of Pathology at the UNM School of Medicine and Co-Lead of the Cancer Therapeutics Research Program.
Here are some key highlights from the panelists and topics they discussed:
- Shani Harvie | Director of the Creative Industries for the New Mexico Economic Development Department
- Shani talked about the goals of the Creative Industries division which is to bring awareness to the amount of creative economy work going on in the state.
- The sector is responsible for $6 billion in annual economic revenue and stretches beyond traditional artists to also include software designers, coders, and computer system engineers.
- Shani also highlights a project in Grants, NM, which is turning an underground mining exhibit into a virtual reality experience to increase accessibility and local tourism.
- Yet another project created for the Route 66 Centennial was a digital passport to encourage tourists to visit various Main Street communities along the Mother Road.
- Stephen Mora | Artist, Fabricator, and Architect
- As an architect, Stephen utilizes professional 3D modeling, CAD (Computer-Aided Design), and other visualization tools to develop and represent complex ideas to show to clients.
- He collaborated with the Air Force Research Laboratory to create a mobile STEM lab housed in a trailer to deliver a “living classroom” to rural areas.
- Beyond his architectural work, he restores and modernizes classic cars and specializes in the intricate, multi-layered paint jobs characteristic of low riders.
- Born and raised in New Mexico, Stephen has a lifelong affinity for the state’s iconic low rider culture, and he is an advocate for low rider artistry.
- For the Route 66 centennial, he collaborated with Rob Vanderlice on a sculpture covered in multi-colored glitter paint reminiscent of the low riders the state is known.
- His current project, “Low Rider Airplanes,” utilizes aerospace 3D modeling to blend technology with local New Mexican automotive aesthetics in the Albuquerque Sunport.
- Sharina Palencia Desai, PhD | AIM Core Technical Director of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology for the UNM Health Sciences Center
- Sharina shared her background in molecular cell and development biology and how it informs her creative work
- She also discussed how nature-inspired designs, such as origami folding in engineering and mosquito-inspired syringes, represent the melting of art and science and nature.
- Sharina also introduced the idea of bio-tourism, thinking of New Mexico’s natural beauty such as its skies and unique landscape, is a creative asset to be shared carefully and sustainably.
- While New Mexico boasts world-class grassroots creative programs, there is a significant opportunity to build large-scale production teams necessary to elevate these efforts to the national level.
Don’t miss the last installment of the spring series, Creative People, Creative Places – Creative Technologies on the Mother Road, on Thursday, April 2 at the Lobo Rainforest Building. Register to attend here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-people-creative-places-creative-technologies-on-the-mother-road-tickets-1980198754781?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
Watch the video of the full discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdaVH4BtZmo