Racheal Devine                                           About 200 words

INTD 105

11/28/16

In Glenn McClure’s skype session, he starts by talking about the geography of Antarctica and how it is completely flat, making it very easy to get lost especially at night and in the fog. As the students ask questions, the things that caught my attention are that there are about 800 people living in the station right now, which I thought it was a much smaller research station than that. Also, the size of the seismometer, 5ft wide 7ft deep, that there is a difference in the sound of the snow crunch depending on the temperature, that there’s so much marine life but the land is barren, and that there are other stations doing other research related to Glenn’s but also not. He also talks about how the scientific data is hard to relay to the public and how he will help through music where people will wonder more when they heat it. Calling it terrible beauty and somewhere where human are not meant to be but because of that it strips away the distractions of life which sounds scary but at the same time freeing. His part in this research is quite unique and you can tell he is very passionate about it.

Simon Lee                                                                     Approximately  210 Word

Shl5@geneseo.edu

Scientific Writing 105-19

Glenn McClure Skype Call 

I was honestly so amazed at all the things that Professor McClure is planning to do. I didn’t think much of Antarctica. I thought it was just a cold ice land but after watching this Skype call my whole perspective has changed. I think it is so unique that he is making music from ice and the sounds that he also makes such as those that come from his steps he takes in the snow. He seems to be doing what he loves and having an awesome time as well which is great. During the Skype call you can see that he is truly passionate about his research and music.

I really think Professor McClure is brave for setting out on such a dangerous expedition. Although many don’t perceive it as a dangerous place, the Professor McClure mentions how is it almost impossible to see anything around at times. He mentions that one wrong  turn one will be lost instantly. He also left his comfort zone to pursue his passion which I think is admirable and something that I could never do.  I am excited to see the end product of his research now that especially now that I know how much work he is putting into this project.

Erik Buckingham                                                     appromiamately 220 words

11/28/16

INTD 105: Science Writing

Many people think that Antarctica is a barren area with no value for humans to study, but Glenn McClure, a professor at SUNY Geneseo, is exploring the continent for its value in the arts, specifically the music scene. He is using natural sounds from antarctica to “split the difference” between regular compositions with no numbers and the music that you get by translating numbers to sound.

The sounds that he is collecting are absorbed seismometers, which were placed in the ground a year ago and will allow McClure to view his data in mid December. Aside from the seismometers, Glenn has been recording natural sounds on his own, such as the crunch of different snows at different temperatures. He noted that it is hard to have a conversation if anyone moves their feet because of the loud crunching of the snow. McClure states that it creates a, “noisy, crazy environment” with the sound of snow crunches.

In addition to the sound of snow crunches, Glenn recorded an audio of talking penguins and a mother seal arguing with her offspring. “They were giving her quite a hard time” notes McClure.

Glenn McClure’s research fascinates me because it mixes the arts and sciences. He is using logical, concrete evidence to appeal to human emotions. He even states that the music will conduct with scientists’ emotions.

Robert Romano                                                                              About 150 words

11/26/16

Intd: Science Writing

Listening to Antarctica

When I watched the Skype presentation with Professor Glenn McClure, my view of Antarctica was completely changed. I saw Antarctica as only a block of ice that was way too cold for humans to inhabit, but Professor McClure is using Antarctica to live his passion which is music. He is taking the sounds of Antarctica like the crunching of the snow and the noise of the ice and composing these noises into melodies. A goal of Professor McClure’s is to write music from these sounds and eventually share this music with the public.

Professor McClure is having an amazing experience at Antarctica, but he also mentions many hardships that can be deadly. One thing that McClure talks about is how when one is navigating, GPS is an essential tool. One can easily get lost in the identical world of Antarctica and McClure describes Antarctica as a “terrible beauty.”

Sarah Lambert                                                                                 about 200 words

sel15@geneseo.edu

Student, INTD 105-19: Scientific Writing

Skype Response

By Sarah Lambert

   The technology humans have developed over the past few centuries has astounded many and been useful to most. Being able to see a live picture of another person on the coldest continent on Earth more than 9,000 miles away impressed me more than I thought it would. This astounding place, Glen McClure states, is somewhere where “humans were not meant to be.” Talking to Glen McClure sparked my interest not only in his expeditions but in the expeditions of past explorers to the South Pole.

I inquired if McClure left behind any pets at home and if bringing them would have brought a better sense of safety to this environment that inspired both awe and terror. In his response, he mentioned his dog that he left at home and explained how it would have been more of a hassle to care for. This idea contrasts with my argument that dogs were used for companionship in the early 1900s expeditions to Antarctica. However, I believe that the technological abilities that humans now have can provide a similar sense of companionship; the Skype call itself is an example of this.

Juniper Tremper
Scientific Writing 105-19
Geneseo, NY
~190 words

Science and Art are Equally Valuable
Juniper Tremper

We live in a world where some careers are valued more than others, but in particular, we have the image of the starving artist. Glenn McClure’s insight on artists in Antarctica is most fascinating because due to the harsh environment, everyone is equally at risk of injury or death inflicted by the cold, no matter whether they study science or observe scientific studies to produce art. He specifically pointed out how if someone is negligent of directions and GPS, they stand no chance against the disorienting whiteness- regardless of what they have a college degree in.

It’s intriguing to note that we don’t need scientists more than artists, nor vice versa. The scientific work would not be presentable to the public without the artistic representation. In addition, McClure tells us that during unoccupied time on the science base, the whole population of scientists and artists comes together as one, to play music and keep each other sane by entertainment. Our goal as students and humans should be to adopt the successful co-dependence of science and art in instances that are less life-and-death and more day-to-day. We need both subjects to succeed as humans.

Logan Steffens

INTD105

Lts6@geneseo.edu

Hearing about Glen McClure’s Antarctic expedition was fascinating.  He spoke about how he was going to “split the difference” between the music you get by translating numbers to sound and regular compositions which use no numbers.  One of my favorite things that Glen McClure said was when he was speaking about the landscape.  He said that “the beauty is a terrible beauty.”  In Antarctica you have no sense of orientation because everywhere you look is almost identical.  There are some features on the landscape you can use to find your way around such as snow sculptures created by nature or the volcano which i have forgotten the name of.  Antarctica is dangerous for everybody no matter their profession because is you do not know how to stay with a group or use a GPS you will most likely not survive the harsh and unforgiving environment.  Glen says “humans were not meant to be down here.” But still we have to have people such as Glenn down there in order to study The continent because it could have a large impact on the rest of the world and that is why so many other countries have bases on Antarctica as well.

Alexis Baer
anb8@geneseo.edu

Student, INTD 105-19: Writing Science

Glenn McClure’s Skype Call
by Alexis Baer

 
Glenn McClure’s Skype session was based off his experience in Antarctica so far, he was also answering any questions from students and faulty members who were doing similar research. Glenn started off the conversation with Antarctica’s landscapes, how art and music can be found almost everywhere, and of course the terror aspect. In regards to danger; McClure spoke about the fog making the horizon disappear, getting completely lost due to every direction looking identical, relying heavily on a single GPS, and about one individuals memorial service. He continued to tell us that he travels in order to analyze different sounds of Antarctica. Some natural sounds he observes includes seals vocalizing underwater, the loudness of cracking ice, and of course music itself. McClure is able to use this audio to work on his own research with how music affects stuttering, he is waiting to see the data and should receive it by mid December. Glenn McClure is very inspiring and intelligent, I was extremely grateful to be able to listen to his experience.

Justin D’Souza

INTD 105 Science Writing

Thoughts on the Skype Call with Glenn McClure

Professor McClure gave a multitude of interesting facts and anecdotes regarding his current experiences in the Antarctic. Currently, he has taken many different recordings of sound…from seals, to the crunch of snow, to the aquatic sounds of animals deep under the ice. He hopes to integrate these natural sounds into his music derived from the data to make pleasing melodies that the public would want to here. He also described the power of the weather…in a flash, the fog can completely remove any frame of reference. Left, right, up, and down all become the same thing, and they only have a GPS to rely on for location data. A challenge for Professor McClure will be to add these emotions of terror and beauty into his music while also remaining true to the data.

I inquired as to how he would spread public awareness as to his music. He hopes to conduct concerts with the data music, as well as work with the other artists to create bundles of music and photos and paintings to sell. He hopes the public will learn to appreciate the work being done after looking at the art created from the data. Science is objective…it deals with facts, not the scientists’ emotions. But McClure states that “scientists are emotional people too!” His music will bring their emotions to life.

In his closing remarks, Professor McClure put forward and extremely thought provoking idea. The heroic expeditions of Shackleton and others was for pride…to say that they were the first to explore the ice. But McClure believes we are in a new era of heroic expedition. We no longer explore for pride and bragging rights, but for science and art. I thought this was quite a profound statement.

How do humans affect the natural silence of certain spaces?