Bridging Art & Science at Indiana University

Dr. Aina Puce, Eleanor Cox Riggs Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Indiana University, believes that the worlds of science and art are not just interconnected—they are inseparable. In this issue of Schema, Dr. Puce shares her connection to the Eskenazi Museum as a social neuroscientist, IU faculty member, volunteer museum guide, and photographer.

“Ever since pre-human history there have been links between science and art—both endeavors can help to explain our natural world and make us think about and question what is happening around us,” Dr. Puce reflects. “People seem to think that there is a chasm between scientists, engineers, and artists—there isn’t: scientists and artists are completely ensnared within their current projects.” Both pour themselves into their work with equal passion, face the same frustrations, and experience the same exhilaration when things finally click.

A scientist first and a lifelong photographer second, Dr. Puce has explored the artist-scientist relationship from both sides. Her photography has been exhibited in Bloomington, Indiana, at Pictura Gallery, and, more recently, at the Waldron Arts Center.

Dr. Puce’s dual identity fuels her research into how the brain processes and creates art—and why that matters for society today. As a social neuroscientist, she studies the mental states of others, including intentions for their actions and their emotional states, an ability referred to as “theory of mind.” This also includes empathy. As Dr. Puce puts it, “Empathy is an important quality—it allows us to assist those in need. As a social species, this is how we have been so successful: we need others to survive, and theory of mind paired with empathy has enabled us to do that as a species.” This ability to empathize helps us connect with others in daily life, and to understand and appreciate the arts. Dr. Puce explains, “The arts make us human. As human primates we are a social species par excellence: we are the only creature whose utterances express abstract and symbolic meanings.”

To bring this understanding to a wider audience, Dr. Puce developed and teaches an interdisciplinary course titled Art & the Brain, which draws students across the College of Arts and Sciences and the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Now in its third year, the course meets at the museum and explores how our embodied brains create and interpret art. At the inception of her course, it was the museum’s former Wilma E. Kelley Director, David Brenneman, who encouraged Dr. Puce to teach the class in-gallery, so students could learn from original works of art.

The open, inclusive format allows graduate and undergraduate students to collaborate alongside volunteer museum guides, who often audit the class and share their own deep knowledge of the collection. This has greatly enriched classroom discussion and deepened students’ connections with the museum’s collection.

As part of the IU Global Classroom program, Dr. Puce also teaches a class that partners Psychological and Brain Sciences undergraduate students with students of Universidad Diego Portales in Santiago, Chile (UDP). While UDP’s students do not visit during the semester, they learn virtually with their IU peers who do visit the museum.
Dr. Puce’s passion for the Eskenazi Museum extends beyond the classroom. As a volunteer museum guide, she leads tours for IU students and members of the public—and recently, she initiated French-language tours for high schoolers.

During her sabbatical in fall 2024, Dr. Puce was invited to be a Visiting Scholar at the museum. During that time, she formulated a book proposal on the subject of Art and the Brain. The experience deepened her bond with the museum community, including curators, educators, guest services staff, and fellow volunteers.

“I feel like I am part of the Eskenazi Museum family. This is my ‘tribe,’” she says. “When I come in the museum’s doors, there is always someone to talk with and exchange the latest news. It has a wonderful vibe and is a place where one wants to be!”

This shared sense of purpose inspired Dr. Puce to join the museum’s Henry R. Hope Society in 2025, a giving society named in honor of the museum’s first director, Dr. Henry Radford Hope. To others considering joining the Henry R. Hope Society, she offers a warm invitation: “If you enjoy viewing artworks, talking about art and culture, and love to interact with others