Science & Politics


Join us for a Central Conversation with renowned Scientist Lisbeth Gronlund, Eric Lander and Professor Jonathan King, discussing the impact science has on politics and how they influence each other to determine the outcome of international and human relations throughout history.
Dr. Jonathan King, Professor of Biology at MIT, holds a Ph.D. from Caltech. A long-time advocate for public understanding of science, Professor King has been intimately involved in science curriculum and development initiatives for K-12 and undergraduate education throughout his academic career. He is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, NIH Merit Award, and MIT’s MLK Jr. Faculty Leadership Award.
Lisbeth Gronlund is a Senior Scientist and Co-director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. Her work focuses on technical and policy issues related to nuclear weapons, ballistic missile defenses, and space weapons. She holds a Ph.D. in physics from Cornell University. She is also the primary organizer of the International Summer Symposiums on Science and World Affairs, and a co-recipient of the 2001 Joseph A. Burton Forum Award of the American Physical Society.
Dr. Eric Lander, faculty at both MIT and Harvard Medical School, holds a PhD from Oxford, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar. Dr. Lander was appointed by President Obama to co-chair the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which advises the White House on matters including health, advanced manufacturing, energy policy, information technology, nanotechnology and national security. He was also one of the principal leaders of the Human Genome Project, directing the largest center in the international project.
All Central Conversations are open to the public; seats are available on a first come, first serve basis.
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Join us for a post show discussion with the cast and crew of Einstein’s Dreams to continue the conversation about Albert Einstein’s theories and the creation of this production.
All Central Conversations are open to the public; seats are available on a first come, first serve basis.
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Quantum Beauty

The renowned physicist and nobel laureate Frank Wilczek is back by popular demand to talk more about quantum beauty, one of his most popular lessons, and his latest book, A Beautiful Question–Finding Nature’s Deep Design. Dr. Wilczek, currently the Herman Feshbach Professor of Physics at MIT, recently launched our Central Conversation Series for Einstein’s Dreams. Professor Wilczek returns to lead us on a continued exploration of the world of physics. All Central Conversations are open to the public; seats are available on a first come, first serve basis. This event will take place on our mainstage.
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Join us for a post show discussion with the cast and crew of Copenhagen to continue the conversation about the history behind Werner Heisenberg, Niels and Margrethe Bohr, and the events that transpired between these brilliant minds both on and off stage.
All Central Conversations are open to the public; seats are available on a first come, first serve basis.
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Politics & Science

Join us for an exciting, politically-charged Pre-Show Saturday Symposium with Professor Matthew Bunn, Historian Priscilla McMillan & International Security expert James Walsh! We’ll dive into politics and science, particularly historical moments where politics have impacted science and how they continue to impact science today.
Dr. Matthew Bunn, a Professor of Practice at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, holds a Ph.D. from MIT and sits on the Board of Directors of the Arms Control Association and the Partnership for Global Security. He received the Joseph A. Burton Forum Award for “Outstanding Contributions in helping to formulate nuclear materials” and the Federation of American Scientists’ Hans Bethe Award for “science in service to a more secure world.”
Priscilla Johnson McMillan, historian and author, is known particularly for her work and expertise on U.S. Nuclear arms policy. She holds a Masters of Russian Studies from Harvard and is an associate of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies. She is also the leading anti-conspiracy theorist among those who have written about the JFK assassination, and is known for her meticulous gathering and careful parsing of information from Cold War era historical events.
Dr. James Walsh holds a Ph.D. from MIT, where he is now a research associate for the Technology’s Security Program. Prior to this appointment, he was the Executive Director of the Managing the Atom project at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is the international security contributor for NPR’s “Hear and Now,” and a contributor for WGBH (PBS, Boston). His comments and analysis have appeared in numerous national and international media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox. Dr. Walsh is among only a handful of Americans who has traveled to both Iran and North Korea for talks with officials about nuclear issues and testified before the US Senate on the issue of nuclear terrorism and Iran’s nuclear program.
All Central Conversations are open to the public; seats are available on a first come, first serve basis.
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