Explaining how interactions between the humanities and the sciences are “two cultures conjoined,” venture capitalist and author Scott Hartley will present a lecture at Dixie State University on Feb. 10.
In line with Dixie State’s human-centered approach to technology that includes active learning within all academic disciplines, Hartley’s presentation will assess how the world benefits from a balance of both the arts and technology. The lecture is set to take place at 4 p.m. on Feb. 10 on the DSU campus in the Dolores Doré Eccles Fine Arts Center Concert Hall. This is a free public event and all are invited to attend.
“While the science programs may view polytechnic from a STEM perspective, the humanities and social sciences are approaching the mission from the perspective of interdisciplinarity,” said Dr. Stephen Lee, dean of DSU’s College of Humanities & Social Sciences. “We are approaching our academic mission as a celebration of all the intersection of our disciplines, not their separation. That approach holds tremendous promise for understanding technology from perspectives that are centered in our humanity.”
Hartley, who asserts that magic happens when the humanities mingle with technology, is the author of “The Fuzzy and The Techie: Why the Liberal Arts Will Rule the Digital World,” a “Financial Times” business book of the month that examines the necessity of liberal art studies in a growing technological world.
“Scott’s perspective on the humanities and technology is refreshingly straightforward: every field of study is important to educating our citizens,” Lee said. “The intersection of perspectives, such as combining humanities disciplines with tech, has the potential to be game-changing. Such collaborations allow us to view problems in unique and fresh ways.”
As a venture capitalist, Hartley co-founded Two Culture Capital and The Fund, through which he has invested in 200 startups, and he served as a partner at Mohr Davidow Ventures. Prior to venture capitalism, Hartley worked at the White House as a presidential innovation fellow, Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society, Google and Facebook. Additionally, he is a term member of the Council of Foreign Relations, an independent, nonpartisan membership think tank and publisher. Hartley holds three degrees from Stanford and Columbia.
For more information about Dixie State University’s human-centered approach to technology, visit utahtech.edu/polytech.