The Center for Humanities, Arts and Technoscience (CHATS) is a bold interdisciplinary initiative within the College of Arts and Sciences dedicated to promoting the human dimension of scientific and technological discovery and exploring their profound impact on individuals and society.
CHATS is designed to promote exchange between the sciences and the humanities and to serve as a forum providing UAlbany and the wider community with a model of intellectual and aesthetic innovation and outreach.
Operating for over 20 years, CHATS has evolved into a University-wide initiative in which faculty, students, administrators, community members, artists, technology experts and nationally recognized scholars are exploring the boundaries between academic fields and engaged in interdisciplinary programs and performances.
We invite proposals and project ideas from scholars, students and creative artists in all fields.
The Center's mission is to revitalize the humanities at UAlbany by asserting its critical role in raising issues and questions about the impact of scientific and technological advances.
CHATS seeks to:
- Develop innovative learning environments and curricula that include incubating new aesthetic and research programs and projects, and fostering research and new emerging knowledge in the areas of science, technology, ethics, aesthetics, media, culture and humanities
- Encourage exchanges among humanists, scientists, artists, architects, filmmakers, educators, technology experts, business people and the public through in a wide variety of public programs and initiatives
- Integrate UAlbany’s programs with other regional, national and international resources and initiatives in the humanities
- Draw on the University's strong profile in the sciences, its independent New York State Writer's Institute and the Center for Advancement in Teaching, Learning, and Online Education (CATLOE) to anchor and transform the humanities through active synthesis with other fields
- Establish new funding streams to support the arts and humanities in a global culture to enable scholarship and research at the borders where the humanistic disciplines intersect with those of science and technology
- Transform and expand the humanities into a dynamic cultural legacy that engages in sustained, interactive conversations and programs across disciplines and professions
We welcome participation, partners, research projects, roundtable ideas and seminar topic proposals from all fields.
The Center for Humanities, Arts and Technoscience (CHATS) is dedicated to promoting the exchange between the sciences and humanities and exploring their profound impact on individuals and society.
Our work would not be possible without the support of alumni, parents, friends and faculty — and donations of any size make a remarkable difference.
Donate to CHATS now. Or visit the Giving website to learn about the many ways to give.
Named Giving Opportunities
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Professorship in the Humanities: Professors who demonstrate on-going intellectual development and leadership in their fields are crucial in furthering the efforts of CHATS. A gift of $1 million would allow us to fund such individuals and continue the growth of our projects.
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Visiting Scholar or Artist Endowment: Creativity is a big part of what shapes CHATS, and involving new scholars and artists is key to on-going creativity of our Initiative. A gift of $500,000 would allow a Visiting Scholar or Artist to join our team in creating new innovative projects, and expand CHATS' impact.
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Endowed Lecture Series: Lecture series encourage, inform, and open discussions on a vast array of topics. A gift of $100,000 would support the importance of educating our academic community in Bioethics, Media Studies, Humanities (general), Technology and Ethics, and/or Medicine and the Humanities.
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Lecture or Program Fund: Lectures and programs are critical in continuing our efforts to educate our academic community, and offer additional educational opportunities for our students. A gift of $2,500 or more would allow the naming of a lecture or program.
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Sponsored Event: Events encourage our students, faculty and community to experience the efforts of CHATS. A gift between $1,000 and $2,500 would allow us to continue such events.
CHATS Leadership
