Assumption to Host Foundations Lecture on Famous Painting Depicting Scientific Method
Assumption University will host the first Foundations Lecture Series event on Wednesday, September 10, at 5:30 p.m. featuring professors Toby Norris, Ben Knurr, and Jeremy Geddert. The event is free and open to the public and will be held in the Curtis Performance Hall, with a reception to follow.
The Foundations Lecture Series is a forum for professors across disciplines at the University to come together and show the fruits of a Catholic, liberal arts education. Through an examination of Joseph Wright’s 1768 “An Experiment on a Bird in the Air Pump” painting, the lecturers will explore how one work of art can be jointly understood through the lenses of art history, science, and politics—and how that art can illuminate each discipline distinctly.
Toby Norris is a professor of art history at Assumption University. He specializes in the art of the first half of the twentieth century in Europe, and in 2023 published a book titled “Marginal to Mainstream: French Modernism Between the Wars”. Norris received his Ph.D. in art history from Northwestern University.
Ben Knurr is an associate professor of chemistry at Assumption University. He teaches courses in both general and physical chemistry. Knurr received his Ph.D. in chemical physics from the University of Colorado.
Jeremy Geddert is an associate professor of political science at Assumption University. He teaches courses on art and politics and specializes in a range of political topics, including American and Canadian relations. Geddert received his Ph.D. in politics from the Catholic University of America.
About Assumption University
Assumption University, founded in 1904 by the Augustinians of the Assumption, is a premier New England university for high-quality education, integrating career preparation and education of the whole person, drawing upon the best in the rich and centuries-long tradition of Catholic higher education. Assumption’s graduates are known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. The University offers 37 majors and 49 minors in the liberal arts, sciences, business, nursing, professional studies, and other areas, as well as graduate degrees and professional credentials. For more information about Assumption University, please visit assumption.edu or follow us @AssumptionUMA.