ICAT Playdate: Dark Matter Embodied: A Virtual Encounter into the Unseen Universe

Term: Spring 2026

Date: May 1st, 2026

Time: 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Location: Community Assembly in the Creativity + Innovation District Living-Learning Community

Instructor: Phyllis Newbill

Presented By: Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT)

Description:

Dark matter is an elusive and visually imperceptible type of matter that envelops the cosmos. How do we make the unseeable... seeable? Theoretical particle physicist, Ian Shoemaker (Associate Professor, College of Science, Department of Physics) along with visual artist, Dustin Dennis (Collegiate Assistant Professor, College of Architecture, Arts, and Design, School of Visual Arts) collaborate to create an immersive Virtual Reality program to communicate the mysterious and exotic topic of dark matter.


Speakers:

Dr. Dustin Dennis, Visual Arts;

Dr. Ian Shoemaker, Physics;