Yonder Talks - Natalie Gosnell
What Does Art-Science Collaboration Make Possible?
Dr. Natalie Gosnell
Natalie Gosnell is an observational astrophysicist, artist, and Associate Professor of Physics at Colorado College. Dr. Gosnell’s research uses observational data from telescopes on the ground and in space to explore the stories of binary star systems and how stars are changed by their companions.
In her role as a teacher-scholar, Dr. Gosnell seeks to bring creative practices into both the physics classroom and her research pursuits. Her artistic residencies include the Sundance Institute Theater Labs, The Public Theater, and Leonardo@Djerassi, among others. Dr. Gosnell is a 2021 Cottrell Scholar, was awarded the Colorado College Excellence in Teaching Award in 2023, and is the co-author of Art-Science Undisciplined: A Playbook for Transformative Collaboration, published by UC Press in 2026.
Abstract
By the nature of our work, astrophysicists are storytellers. I am particularly interested in the stories of stars in binary systems that have been changed by their companion. A key example of these are blue straggler stars, often identified by their location above the main sequence in open cluster color-magnitude diagrams, therefore seeming to be “straggling” behind their expected evolution.
From HST photometry and spectroscopy, we now know these systems have white dwarf companions, revealing their past mass transfer histories. But what choices do we have when tasked with telling this story? Exploring this question as I embarked on a long-term art-science collaboration opened possibilities that have changed all aspects of my work as a teacher-scholar. In this talk I will connect my astrophysics research to the important broader questions we face when telling science stories and share how I answer these questions through my efforts in the world of art-science.
Yonder Talks
Yonder Talks is a colloquia talk series hosted by Yonder Art•Science at the Niels Bohr Institute, where we aim to showcase synergies between art and science.The series is designed to share inspiring stories about the uncharted possibilities that appear when artistic and scientific methodologies intersect. Whatever your discipline, we hope these stories will plant the seeds of something new. Each colloquium will be followed by a reception. Everyone is welcome!