The School for Advanced Research is now highlighting the stories of its scholars and artists in a whole new way. SAR Impacts is a new video series that explores the work of one scholar or artist and showcases its impact and relevance to our world today.
“The work of SAR’s scholars and artists comprises some of the most interesting and creative in the world. We wanted to tell these stories in a way that is as interesting and creative as the work itself,” explains Meredith Schweitzer, SAR’s director of public programs and communications. “High quality video storytelling not only complements their work, but gives it reach that goes beyond academia.”
Dr. Patricia Crown launches the series by discussing her research on Chaco cylinder jars.
Before being made available to the public, the videos will be released exclusively to SAR members, who will also be able to participate in a members-only event with video subjects, SAR Impacts: Member Conversations. “This is another way for our members to remain meaningfully connected with our community during this unprecedented time,” Schweitzer adds.
Dr. Crown examines a cylinder jar from Chaco Canyon.
The series launched with a video interview and member conversation with Dr. Patricia Crown, SAR’s 2019–2020 Weatherhead fellow and Leslie Spier Distinguished Professor of Anthropology at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Crown’s video explores her long-term research on pre-contact cylinder jars from northwestern New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon and shares the origins of her interest in this area. Her subsequent Member Conversation enabled members to further delve into her work and expertise.
“People in Chaco were aware of materials and species and objects that were thousands of kilometers away,” she says in the video. “It really indicates how connected the world was a thousand years ago. So I hope that my work helps people to understand that people out there were aware of a much wider world than we probably would have anticipated.”
