This WIRED interview between Joshua Sariñana and Sinead Bowell explores the digital afterlife. They discuss the interplay between neuroscience, technology, and memory, discussing how advancements in understanding and manipulating memories could impact science, medicine, and identity. Joshua Sariñana highlights the potential of technologies like AI and neurotechnologies to reconstruct, externalize, and even upload memories, raising ethical concerns about privacy, equity, and data bias.

From December 6, 2021, to February 28, 2022, The Poetry of Science was exhibited at MIT’s Rotch Gallery, presenting a dynamic blend of poetry and photography that highlights the experiences and contributions of scientists of color. Directed by Joshua Sariñana, PhD, this multimedia project merges art and science to challenge traditional narratives and foster positive associations between communities of color and the sciences. Each work pairs portraits of scientists, visually embedded into natural landscapes, with poetry that explores their research, motivations, and lives.

The Poetry of Science interview on GBH, hosted by Jim Braude and Margery Eagan, features Joshua Sariñana and Makinde Ogunnaike discussing their interdisciplinary project that combines poetry, photography, and science. The initiative explores the personal and professional lives of scientists, using poetry as a medium to make complex scientific ideas accessible and emotionally resonant. Sariñana emphasizes how the project bridges gaps between abstract scientific concepts and human experiences, inspired by James Baldwin’s reflections on art and truth.

Joshua Sariñana, PhD ’11, merges his expertise in neuroscience, photography, and storytelling in The Poetry of Science, a public art installation advocating for racial and social justice. Supported by a Cambridge Arts Council Art for Racial Justice Grant, this multimedia project pairs scientists of color with poets of color to create collaborative works that celebrate their contributions and amplify their voices. Through portraits by Vanessa Leroy and poetry inspired by the scientists’ work, the project fosters a deeper understanding of science and promotes positive associations with communities of color.

The Poetry of Science, in collaboration with The Peoples' heART, is a project that utilizes art to address health equity and representation in medical institutions like the Massachusetts General Hospital.

In response to systemic racism and the lack of representation of people of color (POC) in media and art, Joshua Sariñana, PhD, co-created The Poetry of Science with poet and editor Linsey Jayne. This multidisciplinary project combines poetry and photography to amplify the voices and experiences of POC, countering negative stereotypes with positive representations. Read the Article»

I caught up with the multi-faceted Joshua Sariñana to talk about his new project with the Somerville Arts Council, titled Through These Realities, that will seek six local poets and photographers of color, who will create a series of images, inspired by prompt-guided poetry from poets.

Joshua Sariñana, PhD, and Linsey Jayne, debuted their project, The Poetry of Science, at Lit Crawl Boston 2021. This initiative pairs local poets of color with scientists of color to address racial disparities in both fields while showcasing the profound connections between the sciences and the humanities. Poets collaborated with scientists in fields like quantum mechanics, radiology, and social robotics to craft original poetry inspired by their research, motivations, and personal stories. At the event, each poet presented one poem as a demonstration of their partnership and the creative synergies between poetry and science. Read the Interview >

Joshua Sariñana, PhD, contributes his expertise in neuroscience and photography to the documentary In an Instant, which examines the evolving role of photography in memory and identity. Sariñana discusses how the overwhelming volume of digital images challenges our ability to process and retain memories, as the act of capturing and viewing photographs becomes increasingly disconnected. Drawing parallels between analog and digital photography, he highlights how physical media, like Polaroid film, fosters a tactile and emotional connection that modern digital platforms often lack.

In Image of Structure, Joshua Sariñana reimagines the iconic Stata Center at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Stripped of its vivid colors, the architectural marvel is rendered in monochrome, transformed into a surreal, graphic space. The series was on exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography in 2020. Learn More»

Joshua Sariñana’s work was featured in Portrait of America, a group exhibition at Fabrik Projects in Los Angeles, showcasing the winners of the 2018 Portrait of America contest. The exhibition, running from November 23 to December 14, 2019, examined the evolving identity of the United States through photography, offering diverse perspectives on what it means to be American.

Joshua Sariñana, a neuroscientist turned photographer, explores how memory, perception, and personal experience shape artistic expression. In his Rfotofolio interview, he reflects on how his scientific background influences his photographic process, using image-making as a means of grounding himself in reality.

Neuroscientist and photographer Joshua Sariñana’s interview in Black & White Magazine, winner of the 2019 Portfolio Contest. He discusses the intersection of cognition and visual art. His Image of Structure series dissects architectural forms as representations of thought processes, drawing from his background in memory research at MIT.

In an interview with Feature Shoot, Joshua Sariñana discusses his photographic series Surface and Consciousness, which transforms urban puddles into portals of reflection and altered perception. Drawing on his background in neuroscience, Sariñana explores the tension between the physical and psychological realms, using puddles as metaphors for consciousness and self-reflection. Read the Interview >

My photographic series Prosopagnosia was selected for inclusion in the Grand Annual Exhibition of Portraits at the Altes Pumpenhaus in Dresden, Germany, and as part of the Hellerau Photography Award. This group exhibition featured 34 international artists.

Joshua Sariñana’s architectural photography series, Image of Structure, was featured in First Look 2019, a five-person exhibition at Panopticon Gallery. Running from January 4 to March 4, 2019, the show explored how individual photographs contribute to a broader narrative when presented as a cohesive portfolio. Curated by Kat Kiernan, the exhibition emphasized the complexity and depth that comes from viewing photography as an interconnected body of work.

In a conversation with Michael Kirchoff, Joshua Sariñana discusses the intersection of neuroscience and photography, revealing how his dual background informs his creative process.

Joshua Sariñana’s Image of Structure was selected for the prestigious Latin American Fotografía awards, a juried competition celebrating outstanding photography and illustration from or focused on Latin America. The awarded photograph was exhibited at Photoville in Brooklyn from September 20–24, 2018, as part of an international showcase of visual storytelling.

Joshua Sariñana’s Image of Structure was named a Top 200 selection in Photolucida’s Critical Mass 2018, an internationally recognized competition that highlights exceptional contemporary photography. This series, captured at the Stata Center at MIT, reimagines the architectural landscape through a lens of abstraction and emotion.

Joshua Sariñana’s architectural photography series, Image of Structure, was featured in BETA Developments in Photography, an internationally recognized online magazine known for its curated selection of contemporary photographic portfolios. The publication, originally conceived by the Ballarat International Foto Biennale (BIFB), highlights compelling photographic works with minimal text, allowing images to stand as the primary mode of artistic expression.