The stage icon - a maroon silhouette of a human figure in the Vitruvian Man pos
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

Scientists, Technologists, and Artists Generating Exploration

STAGE — Scientists, Technologists, and Artists Generating Exploration — is a Center within the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME). At the heart of STAGE’s mission is the belief that creativity and discovery thrive at the intersection of disciplines. By bringing together artists, scientists, and technologists, the Center fosters a space where experimental ideas can take shape, leading to innovative approaches in both scientific communication and artistic creation. This multidisciplinary environment encourages collaboration that challenges traditional boundaries, ultimately generating work that not only entertains but also enlightens, sparking curiosity and deeper appreciation for science in audiences of all backgrounds.

STAGE’s distinct research focuses on creating and developing new theatre, film, games, and other artistic endeavors inspired by science and technology. STAGE harnesses the power of storytelling, emotional engagement, and entertainment to translate complex scientific ideas into relatable human experience, promoting understanding of the sciences in the public arena through new forms of artistic expression.

STAGE harnesses the power of storytelling, emotional engagement, and entertainment to translate complex scientific ideas into relatable human experience, promoting understanding of the sciences in the public arena through new forms of artistic expression.

Current Projects

Entanglement

Entanglement (working title) is a multimedia theatre piece that tells the story of a young woman balancing multiple cultures and identities.

Curiosity: The Making of a Scientist

The documentary-style web series Curiosity: The Making of a Scientist takes us into the labs and lives of scientists to explore what motivates, and is involved in, choosing a career in science, what inspires scientific investigation, and the nature of curiosity itself.

Quantum Games

In The Quantum Casino, instead of using words and equations to explain quantum physics, concepts are built into the mechanics of playing the games and their visuals. Each of the games is designed to create an engaging and memorable experience that affords first-hand interaction with one or more key aspects of quantum mechanics. Once a game is learned, so too are the quantum concepts built into it.

Explore Recent STAGE News & Events

Isep Hosts STAGE Center in Paris

Isep Hosts STAGE Center in Paris

In partnership with UNESCO, Isep (the Paris Institute of Digital Technology) hosted the STAGE Center on their Paris campus and brought the Quantum Casino to local university and elementary students....

Quantum Games Return to Japan

Quantum Games Return to Japan

This October, the STAGE Center returned to Sendai, Japan to support Tohoku University's 118th Homecoming Day festivities. Three STAGE participants joined the Laboratory for Nanoelectronics and...

STAGE at the Illinois State Fair

STAGE at the Illinois State Fair

The STAGE Center team was featured in Governor JB Pritzker's tent at this year's Illinois State Fair. A group of interdisciplinary students facilitated the Quantum Carnival as part of their quantum...

Tohoku Open Campus 2025

Tohoku Open Campus 2025

On July 30th and 31st, students from the STAGE Center and Tohoku University presented the Quantum Games in Sendai, Japan as part of Tohoku's annual "Open Campus Days" event. Bringing in around...