When Dr. Jen Schneider, associate dean at the College of Innovation and Design at Boise State had the idea of “mashing up” two uniquely dissimilar topics and inviting audiences to make their creative connections, she knew that anything could happen.
“Oh, man. It's anybody's guess. I always play this game of trying to predict how the audiences are going to make connections,” said Schneider. “The audiences are way better than I am.”
In anticipation of their next mash-up, “Music Meets AI & N-A Cocktails,”Schneider visits with Morning Edition host George Prentice to talk about how audiences might connect the two topics.
“It really does tap into the creative parts of our brains and our shared humanity. And that just feels so important right now.”Dr. Jen Schneider
Read the full transcript below:
GEORGE PRENTICE: It's Morning Edition. Hi. I'm George Prentice. When we think of a mash-up, it's often a blend of music, but indeed it can be a combination of just about any element, whether it's successful or not in the eye or the ear, or even just the sense of the beholder. But we are particularly intrigued by a series of mash-ups that have been coming from Boise State's College of Innovation and Design. So, talk about an attention-grabber. Here comes a mash-up of AI’s integration into music and cocktails - nonalcoholic cocktails. So, let's welcome Dr. Jen Schneider to the program, associate dean at the College of Innovation and Design. Good morning, Dr. Schneider. Good morning.
DR. JEN SCHNEIDER: George. Thank you so much for having me on.
PRENTICE: You bet. Let's get into this. Do you and your colleagues have some kind of crazy whiteboard where you're just throwing things at one another, looking for some really good combination? But I have to also sense this is very intentional … these types of mash ups.
SCHNEIDER: George, I love that you asked that because we literally, in our space have dozens of whiteboards. We are fanatics for whiteboards. So yes, we are always trying to get interesting ideas going. But yeah, this series that we call mas- up is actually an idea that we borrowed from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Denver. They run a program called Mixed Taste there, and the idea is just that you bring experts from the community and experts from campus together to give these short, odd little lectures. And then you invite community members to ask questions that connect the two lectures. And we love this because at Boise State, we're really invested in connecting the community with folks who are on campus and hosting exciting and creative conversations. And this was just a great way to do that.
PRENTICE: So talk to me about that alchemy, though, that intersection of the human experience.
SCHNEIDER: What we look for when we're putting mash ups together are folks who are willing to talk to us about what we call sort of their odd corners of the little universe. So, for example, at one of our first mash ups, we had a historian of Basque culture talk about the markings that Basque sheepherders made in aspen trees as a sort of way of saying to the world, I was here, and we paired that with a speaker who is an social media expert, but who talked about online fandom for the boy band One Direction. So I know it's so unusual, right? But I'm going to tell you, George, when we got to the question-and-answer section and members of the audience had to ask questions connecting those two. It was one of the most moving experiences I've had in a long time, because the audience was like, wow, it sounds like both of these groups of people are dealing with loneliness or isolation or feeling misunderstood, and it was just delightful. And it really does tap into the creative parts of our brains and our shared humanity. And that just feels so important right now.
PRENTICE: How do you connect? My sense is you must have hopes of how people might find that sweet spot that that intersection. But I also have to assume that these events are filled with surprise.
SCHNEIDER: Yeah, absolutely. I love that question because there's something about, you know, all of us have been to a lecture and there's sort of a series seriousness to the Q&A, right…where maybe somebody trying to sound smarter than they are or put the speaker on point or something like that. When you're forced to really think about the connection between two such different topics, there's a friendliness to it. So, you know, somebody at our last mash up, which was about how artificial intelligence creates meaning on the one hand, and then scuba diving as spiritual practice on the other. Some of the questions were about connections between mind and body. And at one point, this computer scientist who focuses on AI turns to a kinesiologist who was talking about scuba diving, and he says, oh my gosh, I'm the brain and you're the body. And it was just this incredible moment for the audience to just be thinking about things that connect us in the community and as human beings and just really lovely insights. And, you know, of course there's food and drink and it's very casual and just an awesome time to be together.
PRENTICE: So let's talk about Thursday, October 26th. And I want to make sure I do have this right. Artificial intelligence integration into music and nonalcoholic cocktails.
SCHNEIDER: Yeah. That's right. So, we're actually going to start with Chris Kotankski, who's a bartender at the Modern Bar in Boise, which folks familiar with that bar, you know, that they make great cocktails. He is going to be presenting on how to make an amazing nonalcoholic cocktail, and a few lucky audience members will get to taste that. And then we'll have Gus Marsden, who's a young person who uses AI to make music and is going to talk about their creative process. And then, like we've been talking about, the audience will have a chance to grab a drink and some food in the basement of the Shrine…the Shrine Social Club, and then ask questions of those two speakers in ways that connect their topics.
PRENTICE: Again, it'll be full of surprises. But where could that conversation go? Where could that intersection be?
SCHNEIDER: Oh, man. It's anybody's guess. I always play this game of trying to predict how the audiences are going to make connections, and I'm bad at it. The audiences are way better than I am, but I imagine if I was going to ask a question connecting these two, I might say that, you know, some people might say artificial intelligence is indeed fake or artificial. It's not the real thing. And someone might say an Na cocktail that doesn't have alcohol in it. That's not the real thing. What argument would you make for authenticity with regard to both these topics? Right. So, you could ask a question like that.
PRENTICE: Oh my goodness. Talk to me about access to the can we show up at the door. How do we attend?
SCHNEIDER: Yeah, absolutely. So, Thursday, October 26th at the El Korah Shrine downstairs in the Shrine Social Club in downtown Boise. And it starts at 4:00. Doors open at 330. And guess what? Totally free and open to the public and all ages. You'll just need to buy a drink if you want to have a drink when you come. And we would love to see you there.
PRENTICE: So, there's a bar and things to eat?
SCHNEIDER: There's going to be light snacks. Definitely. Those will be free. And then some of the cocktails that Chris is making, the cocktails. The bartenders at the shrine will be recreating those. And folks can purchase those if they like.
PRENTICE: So you've had a very successful series. This I think is going to be your last in this series, but success creates more success. Can I assume you're thinking about your next series?
SCHNEIDER: We definitely are. We've already had folks approach us and say, I know somebody who would be given amazing odd little lecture for mash up. And so if folks are listening to this and or come to the event, please just Google Boise State mash up and let us know if you have a great idea for a speaker or for a topic for our next series, we would love to hear it.
PRENTICE: Dr. Schneider, how do you spend your days when you're not dreaming up these mash ups? Talk to me as a lay person. How do you spend your days?
SCHNEIDER: Well, like everybody else, I spend a lot of time on email, George. Okay, well.
PRENTICE: Apart from that.
SCHNEIDER: Yeah, but when my job is at its best, I'm working with an amazing team and our partners across campus to design programs that allow students really to be their sort of most creative and innovative selves. We design these wonderful events and certificates that students can add on to their existing degree programs, that make them more hirable, and give them opportunities to really apply the things they're learning in the work that they're doing at Boise State.
PRENTICE: Well, we can't miss this Thursday, October 26th, I think you said doors open at 3:30?.
SCHNEIDER: Gates open at 3:30. Event starts at 4:00. And folks, if they want to RSVP, they can just Google Boise State mash up and take them right to the sign-up page.
PRENTICE: And she is Dr. Jen Schneider, associate dean at the College of Innovation and Design. You have my full attention with this, and great good luck in your next series and many series to come. But for now, thanks for giving me some time this morning.
SCHNEIDER: Thank you so much, George. It's been a pleasure.
Find reporter George Prentice on X @georgepren
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