The delineations are commonly understood: Science encourages logic, analysis, and problem-solving. Arts encourage intuition, divergence, and practice, practice, practice. On many college campuses, the “engineers” and “artists” barely cross paths. But when did this come to be? Art historian turned Dean of Weinberg College of Arts and Science Adrian Randolph points at dual fears of art and engineering, from the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci to the Brunelleschi Dome in Florence, arguing that the domains of art and science in contemporary American education have become far too separate—to the detriment of both. Join Randolph as he explains why it is essential for universities to dismantle barriers between the arts and sciences, if they are to build leaders capable of solving the complex problems ahead.

This program is presented in partnership with the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities at Northwestern University.

This annual lecture recognizes the significant contributions to the Chicago Humanities Festival made by its founder and chairman emeritus Richard J. Franke.