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Astronomy Colloquium
Building a Multidisciplinary Community: The Impact of Sonification World Chat in Astronomy
Date: Thursday, October 31st
Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Place: 4421 Sterling Hall
Speaker: Kate Meredith, Geneva Lake Astrophysics and STEAM
Abstract: The Sonification World Chat (SWC), initiated in February 2020, addresses the growing need for collaboration and information sharing among diverse sonification projects in astronomy. Central to SWC's mission is the inclusion of blind and low-vision (BLV) individuals, whose insights are crucial for the development of effective sonification tools, interfaces, and algorithms.

Developers without extensive accessibility experience may unintentionally adopt paternalistic approaches, missing critical insights from the BLV community. SWC was established to counteract this by promoting advocacy, project support, and collaboration.

SWC fosters a diverse professional community, including experts in science, accessibility, user-centered design, audio-acoustical engineering, music, education, and the cultural dimensions of sound perception. This diversity ensures that sonification projects can address both technical and human aspects comprehensively.

This session will provide an overview of the multidisciplinary nature of sonification and highlight key projects developed under SWC. Kate will present high-level overviews of initiatives such as Astronify (Space Telescope Science Institute), Star Sound and Vox Magellan (Swinburne University), SonoUno and Sensing the Dynamic Universe (Harvard University), and her work with the Audible Universe Meetings sponsored by the Lorentz Institute at Leiden University, Netherlands.
Host: Melinda Soares-Furtado
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