INTERSECTIONS OF ARTS, CULTURE, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN NEW YORK
Friday, November 14, 2025
9:30 - 5
CBIS Auditorium, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
RPI is dedicated to supporting local history
The School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at RPI, in conjunction with Canal Corp., the Albany Symphony, and the New York State Power Authority, would like to present Reflections on Waterways, a symposium which revisits the various celebratory performances done along the route of the waterway commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal, with commentary from several guest speakers.
Completed in 1825, the Erie Canal was the largest state-funded public works project of the 19th century. It was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean, via the Hudson River, to the Great Lakes, reducing transportation costs across the Appalachians. Dubbed, "the nations first super highway," it also accelerated the Westward expansion of the United States.
Today, the Erie Canal is primarily a tourist attraction with recreational vehicles using the waterway. However, it's legacy is still felt. Several museums dedicated to its history line the corridor. In 2000, Congress designated the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor to protect and promote the system.
Event Schedule
9:30 AM | Morning Refreshments Coffee and light refreshments available in the CBIS lobby |
10:00 AM | Welcome and Introduction Rebecca Dorge, Provost RPI A representative of Canal Corp David Alan Miller | Artistic Director, Albany Symphony |
10:30 AM | Screening 1: Agrarian and Liquid (Daniel Bernard Roumain) Introduction: David Alan Miller Response: Chris Tozzi | Senior Lecturer of Science and Technology Studies, RPI |
11:15 AM | Screening 2: Canton Tea Man s Tale (Dai Wei) Introduction: TBD Response: Rob Hamilton | Associate Professor and Hed of Arts, RPI |
12:00 PM | Lunch Break Lunch available for attendees in the CBIS Lobby |
1:00 PM | Discussion: 200 Years of RPI and the Erie Canal TBD: RPI TBD: NYSCC |
2:30 PM | Student Presentations or Panel TBD |
3:00 PM | Break |
3:15 PM | Screening 3: Earth and Water (Clarice Assad) Introduction: TBD Response: Kate Galloway | Assistant Professor of Games and Experiential Media, RPI |
3:45 PM | Screening 4: Orenda (Francisco del Pino) Introduction: TBD |
We would like to thank our partners in this endeavor:
Albany Symphony
Canal Corp.