The Center for Humanities is blocking out sights for sounds on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Hope Room of the Welcome Center, bringing a new type of guest lecture to campus.
Unlike the typical guest speaker event, “World According to Sound” will allow students to be active participants in the experience, according to Evelyn Sterne, director of the Center for Humanities. Attendees will wear eye masks and listen to an array of sounds, experiencing the world through their ears rather than their eyes.
“It’s supposed to be a way to inspire people to think about ideas and engages with the humanities in a totally different way,” Sterne said.
Immersive sounds in the experience range from 16th century church music to the footsteps of ants, according to Sterne. The experience lasts 80 phone-free minutes.
World According to Sound, a duo comprising former National Public Radio journalists Sam Harnett and Chris Hoff, travel around the country taking their immersive experiences to different universities, according to Sterne. When Sterne was approached by the team, the change of pace appealed to her.
“[The humanities department] thought it would be something completely different and kind of a refreshing change from the format of listening to someone talk and then asking questions,” Sterne said.
Publicizing and preparing for such an out-of-the-box event has been a challenge, according to Sterne. Helping students understand the experience has been one of the main difficulties.
“I’ve had to work a little harder or differently to get the word out and explain to people what the event is,” Sterne said. “People are used to the old, oh professor so and so from such and such university is coming here to talk about their research.”
Students have been both intrigued and confused, according to Sterne. In the throes of midterms, she encourages students to take a quick break from studying and join the experience.
As for Sterne, she’s looking forward to participating in the phone-free experience.
“I’m excited about sitting there, tuning out the rest of the world, and listening to this extraordinary variety of sounds that they’re bringing,” Sterne said.
For students seeking the traditional guest speaker lecture, Harnett and Hoff will be giving a lecture titled “Media Objects” in the Galanti Lounge on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
