NIA IMARA
Dr. Nia Imara is an artist and astrophysicist whose body of work reflects her love for vibrant color, people, and their stories.
artist = someone who communicates feeling through some combination of color, words, music, dance, etc.
Nia is a self-taught painter whose primary medium is oil on canvas. Her work draws from a range of influences, including the black experience, literature, nature, and music.
astronomer/astrophysicist = someone who studies the stars and how the cosmos work.
Nia went to Kenyon College and then to graduate school at UC Berkeley, where she would become the first black woman to earn her PhD in astrophysics from that university. After grad school, Nia did her postdoctoral research at Harvard's Center for Astrophysics, and she is currently a professor of astronomy at UC Santa Cruz, where she investigates how stars are born in the Milky Way and other galaxies throughout the universe.
Nia is the founder and director of Onaketa, a nonprofit that provides free STEM tutoring and other educational resources to black and brown youth.
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Nia is the author of PAINTING THE COSMOS: HOW ART AND SCIENCE INTERSECT TO REVEAL THE SECRETS OF THE UNIVERSE. The innovative book explores fascinating connections between art, science, and culture, with an emphasis on black art and culture. Filled with nearly 100 breathtaking images of the cosmos and artwork from creators around the world, PAINTING THE COSMOS offers a timeless message of hope and interconnectedness.
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PAINTING THE COSMOS is a stunning portrait of our vast, dynamic, and mysterious universe . . . as seen through the lenses of astronomy and art.
What is our place in the universe? Where do art and science overlap? How can we use these disciplines to better understand the universe . . . and how do they help us to shape our reality? In Painting the Cosmos, astrophysicist and visual artist Dr. Nia Imara comprehensively illustrates the history of the universe and our position in it through the interwoven perspectives of astrophysics and art.
In this eye-opening and accessible book, Imara asks pivotal questions and explores humanity’s ever-evolving view of nature. Richly illustrated with stunning full-color images of our universe and beautiful work from creators around the world—particularly the often-neglected work of women and black artists, this one-of-a-kind book unites the realms of art, science, and culture to create a dynamic portrait of the cosmos.
Scientific American video documentary
Quanta Magazine
Newsweek Magazine
Psychology Today
California Magazine
Science Friday