Emerson, Museum of Science Partner to Explore the Human Condition
It may be the Year of the Snake, but it’s also the “Year of Being Human” at Boston’s Museum of Science, which is enlisting Emerson College and other local institutions to help them explore the theme.
Emerson College is embarking on a multi-year collaboration with the Museum of Science that will include performances, student-created competitions, classroom visits from experts, and more.

“The Museum of Science’s mission includes making science accessible to everyone and anyone,” said Marketing Communication affiliated faculty member Sharon Topper. “The way to do that is by telling the stories through communications and the arts. That’s where Emerson College and the Museum of Science share a sense of curiosity, exploration, and adventure.”
“This year, we’re turning the spotlight on ourselves— ‘Being Human’ is our invitation to explore what’s inside everything that connects us,” said Insoo Hyun, director of the Museum’s Center for Life Sciences and Public Learning. “During times of uncertainty or conflict, it’s especially important to delve into the physical and mental qualities we all have in common and the ways we can help ourselves and each other live healthier, more fulfilling lives.”

Marketing Communication affiliated faculty member Sharon Topper said the very broad theme is appropriate for today’s modern world, and will focus on what brings us together, instead of what divides us.
Topper is leading Emerson’s end of the collaboration, along with Journalism Professor, Special Advisor to the Provost, and Graduate Program Director Paul Mihailidis; and Marlboro Institute Associate Professor and Director of the Honors Program Jon Honea.
“The Museum of Science’s mission includes making science accessible to everyone and anyone,” Topper said. “The way to do that is by telling the stories through communications and the arts. That’s where Emerson College and the Museum of Science share a sense of curiosity, exploration, and adventure.”
The Museum of Science, Emerson, and other partners announced the strategic partnership program during an event on Thursday, January 30, at the Museum.

“Emerson College is delighted to partner in Boston’s Museum of Science’s Year of Being Human. Public understanding and support for science are essential for an informed and healthy society,” said Emerson President Jay Bernhardt. “Emerson has long championed the critical role of communication and the arts for human connection and expression, and we welcome this collaboration to showcase these disciplines’ continued power to advance humanity.”
The partnership will kick off on February 27 with a spoken word event featuring a panel discussion that asks “What does it mean to be human?”, live readings, and storytelling from published faculty members, including Performing Arts Senior Distinguished Artist-in-Residence P. Carl and students.

Topper said another element of the collaboration she’s very excited about are the two “takeovers” by the Emerson community of the Museum. The first one is April 27, with a second sometime in November. Topper, Mihailidis, and Honea sent faculty a call for proposals before winter break, with the only criteria being that student applications touch upon the very broad topic of being human.
“Emerson students will basically be on every stage, every screen, and every exhibit [on April 27]. We’re focusing on six to seven different student-led projects.” said Topper. “[The Museum of Science] has a huge reach digitally, and because Emerson has a presence all over the world, they’re interested in reaching our community wherever they are.”
Numerous Emerson departments are involved in the takeover, including Communication of Sciences and Disorders; ArtsEmerson; Visual & Media Arts; Writing, Literature & Publishing; Business of Creative Enterprises; and more.
Another prong of the partnership features museum professionals visiting Emerson classrooms to talk about relevant topics. Hyun, who is also a senior lecturer on global health and social medicine at Harvard Medical School, is visiting Topper’s class.
“Hyun, [who] is an expert on bioethics, is talking to my Fashion for Impact class, about how individuals and business can work more ethically,” said Topper. “[Having experts like Hyun speak to classes] really enriches our academic experience.”

ArtsEmerson is also part of the mix, with a presentation of Utopian Hotline at the Museum from May 1-18.
Utopian Hotline is part telephone hotline, part vinyl record, part live performance. Real voicemails left on a public hotline will be used to create a moment of community – inviting audience members to re-imagine our shared future. This is a collaborative performance done in partnership with the SETI Institute, Arizona State University’s Interplanetary Initiative, and the Brooklyn Independent Middle School.
Topper added that the Year of Being Human is just the beginning of Emerson College’s collaboration with the Museum of Science.
“This is a multi-year relationship. They have some amazing things already going on, and we’re thinking about how Emerson can integrate into the new space they’re building that is set to open in 2026,” said Topper. “It’s really exciting, it gives our students a lot of opportunities to be involved in the cutting edge of everything”
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