Shaping our lives through science

The Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County invites all to a literary and scientific presentation entitled “Brains and AI: Real Science Beyond Fiction” on Wednesday, May 20, at 6:30 p.m.

Meet Joan Slonczewski, micro-biologist and award-winning science fiction author as she discusses how scientific research works, how it informs fiction-writing, and how it shapes our lives.

At Kenyon College, Professor Slonczewski teaches courses in both biology and fiction writing. Her published works range from microbiology textbooks to short stories and novels on such subjects as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, ecological science (and ecological catastrophe), and nanotechnology. As these topics spill over from the realm of science fiction into our news stories and our daily lives, they seem worth thinking about.

This presentation and discussion will occur at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, in the Multipurpose Room at the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, 201 N. Mulberry Street, in Mount Vernon.

If you, or anyone you know, wants to share their own work, research, or experience — especially as it relates to history, people, and events in Mount Vernon and Knox County — as part of the library’s Local History Speaker Series in the coming months, please contact the Public Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County, at (740) 392-2665 or via email at mvknoxpubliclibrary@gmail.com. We would love to hear your story.