File 025537
Email Regarding Poetry in America Educational Initiative Funding (File 025537)
Email correspondence between Jeffrey E. and Lisa New discussing a proposed educational program combining poetry and science, with mentions of potential funding and participation from notable academics including Lawrence Summers.
Summary
Lisa New proposes funding for a second HGSE course titled 'Poetry in America for Teachers II: The Poetry of Earth, Sea, and Sky' combining poetry with science and environmental study. The initiative seeks $500,000 in funding and would feature filmed sessions with prominent academics and public figures including Michael Pollan, Lawrence Summers, Al Gore, Richard Dawkins, Walter Isaacson, and others discussing poets in relation to scientific and environmental themes. Archival materials and footage have been collected from various locations including Cape Cod, Nantucket, and other natural settings.
From: jeffrey E. [jeeyacation@gmail.com]Sent: 12/2/2014 6:57:24 PMTo: Lisa NewSubject: Re: poetry and scienceImportance: Highsorry got called into conference can continue later in weekOn Tue, Dec 2, 2014 at 1:29 PM, Lisa New < > wrote:Dear Jeffrey,Apropos of our conversation of a few minutes ago, This proposal went to someone I thought wasinterested in the environment and science but who seems, in fact, far more interested in supporting TVon a broad range of topics.500,000 would fund this initiative as the second HGSE course (after Poetry of the City) and could beginimmediately, Jan 1.. I'd be thrilled to include other scientists you name, perhaps taping the group in asession on metaphor at the edges of fields.INote that taped sessions already include economics, marine biology, astronomy, evolutionary biology,zoology, physics and computer science. Richard Dawkins, Walter Isaacson, David Mossberg and DavidMalan have all said yes to tapings. Footage for all the others is already shot and ready for postproduction.I am having a drink with Dean of Ed School today and can explore this with him among other topicsLisaPoetry in America for Teachers II: The Poetry of Earth, Sea, and SkyCombining study of poetry with study of science, environment and the visual arts. Materials includehundreds archival images and live footage shot inCape Cod, Nantucket, Vermont, New York, Connecticut, Jamaica, Aspen, California, Papua New Guineaincluding oceans, ponds, marshes, birds, fish mountains, coral reefs, forests as well in some major collections(HMNH etc)HOUSE OVERSIGHT 025537with author Michael Pollan on Joel Barlow (and colonial agriculture)with economist Lawrence Summers on Oliver Wendell Holmes, (and technology and "one hoss shay"depreciation)with Harvard students at the Nantucket Whaling Museum and with , John Steele, editor of the sciencemagazine, Nautlilus, on Lowell and Melvillewith Vice President Al Gore on Ralph Waldo Emerson ,and, with eco-critic Lawrence Buell (with footagetaped on the Concord River as well as in Harvard's Houghton Rare Book Library )with a dozen Harvard students and Boston area school teachers on Emily Dickinson's "skies" (shot at EmilyDickinson's home in Amherst Massachusetts) and with ED 's original mss. at Harvard Universitywith Jane Pickering In Harvard's Museum of Natural History on Marianne Moore, zoology and sciencemuseumswith Martin Espada and other New Yorkers (footage shot on the East River) on Whitman and urbangreenspace and with Susan Howe on Stevens and parkswith Richard Dawkins on Frost, evolution and probability and with Jay Parini, Frost biographer, in Frost'scabin on "The Road not Taken".with Director of the College Board (and writer of the Common Core Standards) , David Coleman on RobertFrost's "Birches" (filmed in a birch grove)with Peter Galison on Einstein and Modernism (taped in the Harvard Scientific Instruments collection in theHarvard Science Center) and with author Walter Isaacson on Einstein and Modernism (Fogg Museum)with Ray Dalio on Marianne Moore( in Rajah Ampat with Conservation International); and with JanePickering, Head of the Harvard Natural History Museum, ( filmed in the Harvard Museum of Natural History)with Stefan Weiss, Walt Mossberg and David Malan on coding, computer language and L-A-N-G-U-A-G-EpoetryElisa NewPowell M. Cabot Professor of American LiteratureHOUSE OVERSIGHT 025538Harvard University148 Barker Center12 Quincy StreetCambridge, MA02138please noteThe information contained in this communication isconfidential, may be attorney-client privileged, mayconstitute inside information, and is intended only forthe use of the addressee. It is the property ofJEEUnauthorized use, disclosure or copying of thiscommunication or any part thereof is strictly prohibitedand may be unlawful. If you have received thiscommunication in error, please notify us immediately byreturn e-mail or by e-mail to jeevacation@gmail.com, anddestroy this communication and all copies thereof,including all attachments. copyright -all rights reservedHOUSE OVERSIGHT 025539