et al.
Queerky science nights.
JOYFUL, UNCENSORED, SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND.
WHERE TOP-SCHOLARS ENGAGE BEYOND ACADEMIA INTO QUEER SPACES.
A music curatrix follows.
WHAT WE DO
We bring cutting-edge scholars beyond academia into queer spaces, and we dance
Et al. is an after-hours science outreach series at a local queer bar, Flora Bar in Rochester NY. We curate nights that are joyful, uncensored and scientifically sound.
Invited scholars share their pioneering research and their personal stories engaging the audience in conversations. Topics include cancer therapy in queer relationships, plastic-eating bacteria, the biomechanics of dancing, black feminism in theatre, color theory and more.
After the talks, the dancefloor opens with an invited artist curating the sound, a different genre every time.
Events are free to attend, talks and music are recorded and posted afterwards. Any donations directly fund our work and the community!
OUR PHILOSOPHy
Et al. means and others – the people, the uncredited collaborators, the overlooked voices, literally a bibliography shorthand for a long list of authors in a publication
We believe research is not just about data or publications. It’s about us people, all of us, and, most importantly, those who’ve been left out or have rarely been represented by it.
Et al. highlights the humans behind the science: their personalities, interests, and joyful quirks. Scientific discoveries don’t end with the last author on a paper. Their impact extends to all of us. And history reminds us that genius strikes in moment of wandering minds, rarely at desk.
Et al. invites the public into that process, recognizing that we all benefit from and can meaningfully contribute to research across the humanities, the sciences, the engineering, the arts, the movement and more.
We can dance complexity together beyond technical vocabularies, and have fun with it. We reclaim the femininity of pioneering. To explore is to give birth into the world through care, curiosity, and desire. This is why we address music with a curatrix, she who calls minds into bodies, and let sound do the rest.
TOPICS WE EXPLORE
where the money goes
science gives back to the community it serves
Et al. is free because we believe science belongs to everyone. It belongs to queer bars (our home is Flora) which are a community service, and they live because people show up. We give you another reason to support them.
We pay an honorarium to everyone involved in Et al. — speakers, performers, artists, and curatitrices. The more we raise, the more we can support independent artists, fund causes that matter, and open the door to collaborations across the world. Your donations make that possible!
Donations are split to keep the series going (20%)— and to give back to charity (80%). We now help raising funds for C.U.R.E. Childhood Cancer Association, a local nonprofit supporting Rochester families affected by pediatric cancer.
Et al. is supported by UR Thinkers at University of Rochester, and we are grateful to our donors Wilmot Cancer Center, Rochester Victory Alliance and Elysian Homes!
The humans behind it
Alice Giulia Alessandroni, M.S.
PhD cand., Biophysics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester
Alice researches microbial biomaterials using marine bacteria and 3D bioprinting for the design of programmable ecological materials (e.g. ocean-biodegradable plastic). Outside the lab, she’s a music curatrix, community organizer, sailor and creative force.
Azmeer Sharipol, M.S.
PhD cand., Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester. National Cancer Institute Graduate Fellow
Azmeer studies acute myeloid leukemia using tissue engineering approaches to develop safer, smarter cancer therapies. Beyond the lab, he organizes community outreach events across Rochester and performs as a dancer, with appearances in multiple Fringe Fest seasons.