Conference to Showcase Glass as Art

MIT is a few days removed from Commencement and Tech Reunions activities and the campus is noticeably quieter. But if there’s any worry about a lack of Institute events to partake in—fear not!

A great example of summer fare is GlassBoston, a four-day event co-organized by the MIT Glass Lab that begins on Thursday, June 13. The event includes glass-blowing lectures, exhibitions, and workshops featuring MIT faculty and alumni.

The MIT Glass Lab, which is connected with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is advised by Professor Michael Cima, whose lecture at the conference, “Shape Matters,” will discuss the unique qualities of glass from a materials science perspective.

Other MIT-related demonstrations at GlassBoston include:

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  "Folding Glass,” which features Professor Erik Demaine and visiting scientist Martin Demaine (both accomplished origami artists), who will discuss their work in the mixed media of paper and glass, their folding glass experiments, and “Virtual Glass,” their open-source software program for glass blowers. (The Demaines will also participate in a demonstration on Friday, June 14.)

• “CAD and Rapid Prototyping for the Modern Glass Artist,” which features a panel including postdoctoral associate Kenneth Cheung SM ’07, PhD ’12 that will discuss CAD (computer-aided design), prototyping technologies, and associated software.

The conference will also feature demonstrations in the Glass Lab and tours of the MIT Media Lab and its public art collection.

[Watch another video, "MIT Glass Lab: Where art meets science," from the MIT News Office.]

The Glass Lab, which serves as an extracurricular activity on campus, is located in the basement of the Infinite Corridor. It offers numerous classes and events to the MIT community, including the Transcultural Exchange, a collaborative glass tile project with other universities, and the Great Glass Pumpkin Patch, an annual fall event that showcases more than 1,000 glass-blown pumpkins in the Kresge Oval.

The lab’s 11-person staff includes Cima and four MIT alums: Whitney Cornforth ’01, SM ’01; Chris Laughman ’99, MEng ’01, PhD ’08; Sandy Martin SM ’93; and Michelle Trammel ’89.

In addition to the Glass Lab and Media Lab, GlassBoston’s events will also take place in 10-250, the Bush Room, and the MIT Museum. The conference will also feature demonstrations by accomplished glass artists Rik and Shelley Allen, Pablo Soto, Deborah Czeresko, and Wesley Fleming.

Registration, which is $60, is available on the GlassBoston site and in Lobby 10 between 8 a.m. and noon on June 13. The lectures in room 10-250 are open and free with an MIT identification card.

Bonus: Check out an MIT Glass Lab photo essay by Andrea Silverman ’05.