1. Galileo Meets Shakespeare
Stars in Their Eyes:
Galileo Meets Shakespeare

2. SitE: GmS
A presentation of: Gloria McMillan, PI Research Associate, Department of English, University of Arizona

3. SitE: GmS
Co-PI: Christopher Impey, Prof. in Department of Astronomy, Univ. of Arizona
Director of Production: Howard Allen
With Coyote Moon Films, Ltd.

4. How We Started
Relations between science and the humanities have not been as friendly as they might have been...

5. How We Started
The humanities has had its doubts about science since the ancient Greeks—maybe before.
Yuck! Techné—the work of slaves!
TECHNÉ is the Greek root of “technology.”

6. How We Started
And we knew that this nastiness between the humanities and sciences was holding up solutions to
many pressing global problems.

7. How We Started
This was in part because humanities scholars have always viewed scientists as . . .well. . .

8. How We Started Or perhaps more like. . .you get the picture.
Dr. Strangelove

9. How We Started
Of course, scientists thought humanities writers and teachers were just. . .fuzzy. (And not in a good way.)

10. How We Started An impressive group of scholars rallied to this idea.
The time had come to seek common ground!

11. Our Next Moves
We sought that bridge of mutual understanding. Common ground. A truce.
But where? Our mentor at the Jet Propulsion Lab, Bill Whitney, said to look for a project…

12. Our Next Moves
We thought hard. . .Galileo and Shakespeare were born in the same year: 1564! They could have met (although chances are, they did not.)
1564

13. Our Next Moves
How would I have related to…?
Me?
Galileo Galilei

14. Our Next Moves
A script! A script! My kingdom for a script…

15. The Script
Our experts and script writers knew that they needed to find both conflict and harmony. They hit on the fact that telescopes were on London docks by 1609 and Shakespeare could have used one.

16. The Script
So this “bard” was on my astronomical turf, but I, Galileo, was a great writer, as well!
You? A writer?
A founder of Italian literature!
Galileo Galilei

17. You, Sirrah! What did you ever write?
The Script
Our script goes on in much this way with—hopefully—growing mutual appreciation. (Take it easy, boys!)
You, Sirrah! What did you ever write?
Actually. . .no.
Actually. . .no.
And you call yourself civilized?
The impudence! Have you not heard of Dialogues on the Two Chief World Systems?
Galileo Galilei

18. The Book
Enough idle chatter! You have a great treasure in your university library! My Sidereus Nuncius. First edition.
Galileo Galilei

19. The Play Books
Our script writing team will make good use of this historic volume in the University of Arizona’s Special Collections. Our noble friend need not fear.

20. The Play Books
It goes without saying that my plays will feature throughout this dramatic presentation!

21. Our Consultants
David Levy, co-script writer and chief consultant, Comet Discoverer and Pres. of the National Sharing the Sky Foundation.
Frederick Kiefer, Prof. of English, Shakespearean Expert, Univ. of Arizona
Darko Suvin, Cultural Theorist, Brecht Scholar, MacGill University, Emeritus
Ewen Whitaker, co-founder Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona
Gary Mechler, Lead Faculty, STEM Division, at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona

22. Our Consultants
Maurice Finocchiaro, Distinguished professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
R. D. (Bob) Joseph, astronomer in the Institute for Astronomy (IfA), the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
Nick Campion, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales, Lampeter .
Frederick Kellogg, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Arizona.
Arthur J. Harris , Prof. Emeritus of English at Eastern Michigan University .

23. Stay tuned for more from our starry messengers.
SitE: GmS
Stay tuned for more from our starry messengers.