When Science Meets Theatre: Mary Kelly’s Residency at PDI

For the past three months, theatre artist Mary Kelly has been PDI’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR), immersing herself in the world of materials science and exploring how scientific and artistic practices can inform one another. Now, as her residency comes to a close, she’s ready to share what she’s learned—through a special online presentation featuring readings from her work.

📅 Monday, March 10th, at 14:00 CET
📍 Online via Zoom

This event will bring together artists and scientists for a conversation at the intersection of theatre and research. Joining Mary will be special guests who work across disciplines, including:

• Prof. Dr. Regine Hengge (Department of Microbiology, Humboldt University)
• Lori Baldwin (Performance Artist, Writer and Director)
• Günther Grosser (Co-Artistic Director, English Theatre Berlin)

About the PDI Artist-in-Residence Program

The PDI AiR Program offers a Berlin-based artist the opportunity to spend three months embedded in our research environment, gaining access to state-of-the-art labs, working closely with scientists, and using PDI’s facilities as a source of inspiration.

PDI is one of the world’s leading institutes in semiconductor research, with over 1500 m² of laboratory space, 11 molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) systems, and a 450 m² cleanroom dedicated to nanofabrication. The residency includes a monthly stipend, a workspace at PDI, and mentorship from researchers, cultivating a deep exchange between artistic and scientific approaches.

At the end of the residency, the artist shares their insights and creative explorations through a public presentation and exhibition, performance, or discussion—tailored to their artistic practice.

What’s Next?

• Mary’s research phase is coming to an end, but something is already brewing. Stay tuned for more updates as her ideas take shape.
• In 2025/2026 the AiR Program continues! Later this year, we will announce the next call for participation, inviting another artist to engage with us and discover new ways to represent science to the world.

🔗 Join us on March 10th to experience this year’s residency in action! Zoom link