Earlier this year, Interim Chancellor David Ward chose a combination of art and science for this year’s Go Big Read program in effort to promote innovation in the classroom and the community.
Radioactive: Marie and Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout, written and illustrated by Pulitzer Prize-nominated Lauren Redniss, was chosen for the Go Big Read, UW’s common reading program. At least 60 courses will incorporate the book into their curricula, including some in French, genetics and psychology.
According to a UW statement, Ward chose the illustrated biography from a shortlist compiled by a review committee after previously requesting a focus on innovation. This is the first year Go Big Read has been connected to a particular theme, the statement said.
Journalism professor Sharon Dunwoody said the book is part of a relatively new genre of graphic novels, as every page is a combination of images and words in an extremely artful layout.
Go Big Read program manager Sarah McDaniel said she agrees with Dunwoody on the book’s artistic ingenuity.
“This novel is not just innovative in context but in its physical form as well. There are images throughout its pages … and the cover even glows in the dark,” McDaniel said.
Radioactive explains the history of the Curie family, which, according to Dunwoody, had quite “provocative” discoveries.
Dunwoody said she found the combination of science and art shown in Redniss’ book to be reflective of UW. The university integrates diverse approaches while learning or understanding new ideas, as described in Radioactive, Dunwoody added.
McDaniel also said Radioactive is representative of the Wisconsin Idea, because the impact of positive and negative scientific discoveries on society in the book are parallel to the impact that discoveries at UW have on society.
According to McDaniel, various professors of different subjects have chosen Radioactive to be part of their course readings this academic school year.
“Many students will have a chance to discuss Radioactive in the classroom,” McDaniel said. “This way it will bring ideas from the outside environment in to the classroom for collective discussions.”
Beyond the classroom, Dunwoody also sees the Go Big Read program and the book, which was distributed to the freshman class at the chancellor’s convocation for new students, as an opportunity to unite the campus through thoughtful discussion.
“This UW book program offers a collective moment in time where everyone can read something interesting and talk about it, together,” Dunwoody said. “[Radioactive] has a lot of value, because it is a collective deliberation between students, especially first year students, because they need to get socialized with others on campus and desire intellectual endeavors.”
UW freshman Daniel Baker said he received Radioactive positively, finding it to be something he and the entire freshman class can have in common and share, whether or not everyone reads it.
McDaniel also said she agrees with both Dunwoody and Baker and has seen that trend with the Go Big Read program throughout its four years.
“The Go Big Read program gives students the chance to participate in a shared reading experience,” McDaniel said. “It is something to socially participate in at the beginning of the year that is academically related.”
Redniss is scheduled to visit campus Oct. 15 and 16.
