>> Ted: HOW THE MAKING OF DOG LEASHES IS HELPING TO SUPPORT VETERANS AND A WAY THAT ART IS HELPING TO EXPLAIN SCIENCE AND THOSE STORIES AND MORE ARE NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> Announcer: THIS HOUR OF LOCAL NEWS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FRIENDS OF PBS AND MEMBERS OF YOUR PBS NATION.

THANK YOU.

>> Ted: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON I'M TED SIMONS.

ALL FIVE PEOPLE ON BOARD A SUBMERSIBLE DISAPPEARING IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC ARE BELIEVED TO BE DEAD.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO THE COAST THATCOASTGUARD ON THE WRECKAGE OF THE TITANIC WHICH WAS WHAT THE VESSEL SET OUT TO EXPLORE.

>> THIS MORNING IN THE ROV OR REMOTE OPERATED VEHICLE FROM THE VESSEL HORIZON ARCTIC DISCOVERED THE TAIL CONE OF THE TIGHT TAN SUBMERSEIBLE APPROXIMATELY 1600 FEET FROM THE BOW OF THE TITANIC ON THE SEA FLOOR.

THE ROV SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND ADDITIONAL DEBRIS.

IN CONSULTATION WITH EXPERTS FROM WITHIN THE UNIFIED COMMAND, THE DEBRIS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF THE PRESSURE CHAMBER.

UPON THIS DETERMINATION, WE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE FAMILIES.

>> Ted: THE COASTGUARD ADDED THERE'S NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE BODIES OF THE FIVE PASSENGERS WILL EVER BE RECOVERED CALLING THE OCEAN FLOOR, QUOTE, AN UNFORGIVING ENVIRONMENT.

>>> THE SUPREME COURT RULED AGAINST THE NAVAJO NATION IN WHICH THE TRIBE ARGUED A TREATY REQUIRED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO COME UP WITH A PLAN TO REVIVE THE TRIBE WITH ADEQUATE WATER SUPPLIES.

THE JUSTICES RULED 4- 5-4 AND NEIL GORSURCH IS DESCRIBING THE WATER RIGHTS AND THE COURT'S MAJORITY THAT THE 19th CENTURY TREATIES DID NOT CREATE A RIGHT FOR THE NATION TO SUE OVER WATER.

>>> MARICOPA COUNTY RECORDER, STEPHEN RICHER CLAIMS THAT HE INTENTIONALLY DECIDED TO SABOTAGE BY PRINTING THE WRONG SIZED BALLOTS AND BY INSERTING MORE THAN 300,000 INVALID BALLOTS INTO THE COUNTY'S VOTE TALLY AND CONTENDS THROUGH LAKE STATEMENTS, SHE HAS DAMAGED MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE AND REPUTATION.

>>> THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU SAYS THE MEDIAN AGE IN THE U.S. IS NOW AT A RECORD HIGH 39 YEARS AND THAT'S A JUMP OF 3.5 YEARS SINCE 2000 AND NEARLY ALL STATES SAW THEIR POPULATIONS GROW OLDER WITH MAINE HAVING THE OLD AN AT 44 AND UTAH AT 32.

THIS IS AS THE BIRTH RATE IS TRENDING DOWN.

>>> PROP 400, WHICH WOULD EXTEND THE TRANSPORTATION SALE'S TAX TO EXPIRE AT THE END OF 2025 AND THE LEGISLATURE MUST GIVE THE APPROVAL IN ORDER FOR VOTERS TO HAVE A SAY IN EXTENDING THE TAX BUT GETTING THAT LEGISLATIVE OK TO SATISFACTION OF LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES IS PROVEN PROVEN TO BE PROBBATIC AT BEST AND WE HAVE JOHN GILES AND MAYOR, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

>> GOOD TO BE HERE, TED.

>> Ted: For those who don't know what prop 400 400, what is this?

>> THE EXPLANATION FOR ALL OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PROGRESS WE'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES IN MARICOPA COUNTY AND THE HALF CENT SALES TAX THAT PAYS FOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.

IT'S ROADS, TRANSIT, DIAL-A-RIDE AND FILLS POTHOLES AND COLLECTS AND SPENDS IN MARICOPA COUNTY TO ALLOW TO BE BETTER THAN AVERAGE WITH TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND THAT'S BEEN ATTRACTIVE AND YOU'VE SEEN THE GROWTH.

>> Ted: IT NEEDS TO BE EXTENDED AND WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> YES.

THIS SUN SETS AT THE END OF 2025 AND THIS HALF CENT SALES TAX IS THE EXPLAINS FOR THE GROWTH IN THE VALLEY THAT WILL GO AWAY AND NOW THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, THE GROWTH IN MARICOPA COUNTY IS NOT GOING AWAY AND THAT PUTS US IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION WHERE WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH A LOT OF THE TRANSPORTATION PLANS THAT WE'VE MADE FOR THOSE IN THE WEST VALLEY, STATE ROUTE 30 AND THE EAST VALLEY, STATE ROUTE 34 AND IMPROVING THE FREEWAYS AND RESPONSE TO THE AIR QUALITY AND WATER QUANTITY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE IN MARICOPA COUNTY.

ALL OF THAT IS DEAD IN THE WATER WITH NO SOURCE OF FUNDING BEGINNING IN 2026.

>> Ted: THE REPUBLICAN-BACKED LEGISLATURE DID PASS A WAY.

THEY HAVE AN OK IN MARICOPA COUNTY TO GET A VOTE.

BUT THEY WENT AHEAD AND GOT SOMETHING THROUGH.

THE GOVERNOR, COULDN'T WAIT TO VETO THIS AND SHE SAID IT DIDN'T CREATE JOBS AND DIDN'T ADEQUATELY SUPPORT ECONOMIC GROWTH.

DID SHE DO THE RIGHT THING?

>> LAST YEAR, WE WERE SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED WITH THE VETO FROM GOVERNOR DUCEY FROM YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT FROM THE COUNTY AND THROUGH MAG AND THE CITIES.

THAT WAS A DEVASTATING VETO AND THIS WE BEGGED THE GOVERNOR TO VETO THIS ONE.

THE PLAN THAT CAME THROUGH THE BOARD HAS NO RESEMBLANCE.

>> Ted: THEY SAY THIS ALLOWS AND GIVES VOTERS TO VOTE ON LIGHT RAIL.

AND LET'S FACE IT, THIS IS THE BUG-A-BOO.

THEY DON'T WANT ANYMORE OF IT OR MAINTAIN WHAT THEY'VE GOT.

THIS ALLOWS VETOERS HAVE VOTERS TO HAVE A CHOICE.

>> VOTERS HAVE HAD A CHOICE MULTIPLE TIMES AND ASK HOW MANY TIMES IN PHOENIX THEY VOTED FOR PROP 400 BACK IN THE DAY AND FOR THE SALES TAX EXTENSION AND FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL APPROVAL.

THIS HAS BEEN VOTED ON MULTIPLE TIMES.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A GROUP OF LEG LEGISLATORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE RIDING THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR MARICOPA COUNTY.

>> Ted: HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?

WHY IS A STATE LEGISLATORS NEEDED TO OK A TAX IN.

>> MARICOPA COUNTY THAT IS SUBJECT TO LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL TO GO TO THEIR VOTERS WITH A REGIONAL PLAN AND GOES BACK TO THE 20 YEARS AGO WHEN THIS CAME THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.

AS YOU MENTIONED, THERE WERE SOME VERY CONSERVATIVE LEGISLATORS THAT WEREN'T SURE ABOUT LIGHT RAIL AND WANTED TO PUT THIS POISON PILL IN TO MAKE SURE SHA THE COUNTY DIDN'T GO FORWARD WITH A PLAN THEY DIDN'T FIND TO THEIR APPROVAL.

>> Ted: MAYOR, EVEN NOW, THEY CALL LIGHT RAIL THE MOST INEFFICIENT TRANSIT SYSTEM IN THE WEST.

>> YEAH.

>> Ted: ARE THEY WRONG?

>> ABSOLUTELY WRONG.

AS THE MAYOR OF MESA, I HAVE VIVID MEMORIES PRE-LIGHT RAIL.

I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL IN THE '90S AND LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND A LAME DOG LIMPED ACROSS MAIN STREET AND PAUSED FOR HYGIENE BEFORE HE MOVED ON.

NOW WE HAD A CITY COUNCIL MEETING RINGING OUR HANDS FOR PARKING IN MAIN STREET MESA BECAUSE OF LIGHT RAIL.

>> Ted: OK.

SO WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE IN DO YOU PUT IN ON A STATEWIDE BALLOT?

DOES EACH CITY HAVE A VOTE?

YOU HAVE TO GET 60% APPROVAL?

>> NOT NECESSARILY.

THERE'S A RECENT CHANGE TO ARIZONA WHERE IF YOU'RE INCREASING TAXES IN A STATE-WIDE INITIATIVE, YOU NEED 60% AND MULTIPLE WAYS TO ATTACK THIS AND RIGHT NOW, ALL OF THEM ARE ON THE TABLE AND LIKELY WILL BE PURSUED.

TO GET AROUND THE LEGISLATURE AND TO GET AROUND THIS IDEA THREETHREETHATTHEY HAVE TO DICTATE THAT, WE HAVE TO GO STATE WIDE, WE DON'T NEED ANY RIGHTS THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY AND CALL OUR OWN TRANSPORTATION ELECTIONS.

YES, THAT LIKELY WILL HAPPEN.

I WOULD PUT ON THE AGENDA CALLING AN ELECTION AND SO COULD THE OTHER 32 CITIES PART OF MAG.

CALLING ELECTIONS IS NOT SOMETHING WE DON'T DO ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THAT'S ANOTHER ROUTE.

>> Ted: IS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FROM WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND HEARD AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH, WILL THEY MAKE NOISE OR STAY ON THE SIDELINES?

>> NO.

THEY ARE VERY ACTIVELY IN SUPPORT OF PROPOSITION 400 AND WHY IS THAT?

>> BECAUSE THIS IS THE BIGGEST ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PACKAGE IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

THIS IS OVER $30 BILLION OF INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS TO CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH WE'VE SEEN.

THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY IS ON THE RECEIVING END OF THOSE DOLLARS.

>> Ted: THE COMPROMISED PLAN, WHATEVER THE GOVERNOR VETOED LAST SESSION, COMPROMISED AND HAMMERED OUT AND IS THERE A CHANCE FOR THAT TO BE REVIVED?

>> THERE IS A CHANCE, BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT THE ATTITUDE RIGHT NOW AMONG LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS IS THAT WE ARE DONE.

WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY CAN TO MAKE THIS PALPABLE TO THE LEGISLATURE AND THEY HAVE NOT RESPONDED IN A WAY WE CAN TAKE CONFIDENCE IN.

WE NEED TO TAKE OUR DESTINY IN OUR OWN HANDS AND CHART OUR OWN COURSE AND GET THIS IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS.

>> Ted: WHAT'S NEXT AND WHAT DO WE VOTE FOR?

>> THIS WILL TURN INTO A CAMPAIGN AND PURSUING THE TWO TYPES OF ELECTIONS EARLIER AND THERE IS A CHANCE THAT THE SINE DI, THE CLOSE OF LEGISLATURE HAS NOT OCCURRED AND THERE COULD BE A HAIL MARY EFFORT AND WEAR NOT WE'RE NOT RULING THAT OUT.

BUT THE PAST EXPERIENCE, THAT'S UNLIKELY.

THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THIS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS A GREAT ADVOCATE FOR THIS.

ON A STATEWIDE INITIATIVE IS NOT INEXPENSIVE AND NOT EASY.

WE'RE PURSUING THAT RIGHT NOW AND THAT -- STAY TUNED.

THAT'S WHERE THIS IS HEADED.

>> Ted: JOHN GILES, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU, TED.

>> Ted: UP NEXT, HOW MAKING DOG LEASHES HAS BROUGHT MILITARY CAREGIVERS TOGETHER.

>> A LOCAL EFFORT TO BRING MILITARY CAREGIVERS TOGETHER TO CREATE HANDMADE DOG LEASHES TO HELP A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS SHARON GRASSI OF CO-OP SURVIVOR BOARD AND WE HAVE KELLEY STEWEA REMARKKELLEY STEWART.

>> MY SON MADE IT AND IT WAS A GIFT TO US AT THE WALTER REED MILITARY HOSPITAL.

FROM THE MILITARY, A COOPERATIVE IS SOMEONE WHO HELPS YOU SURVIVE AND IT'S A GAMING TERM, WHICH HE'S A GAME, YOUNG DISABLED VETERAN AND I'M A MILITARY CAREGIVER FOR HIM.

AND IT CAME FROM MAKING LEASHES AND THAT'S WHERE IT CAME UP.

AFTER NEUROSURGERY, HE COULDN'T MADE THE LEASHES.

I BROUGHT CAREGIVERS TO GET RID OF THE PARACORD TO MAKE LEASHES AND GIVE THEM AWAY TO VETS.

THIS TURNED INTO SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY UNEXPECTED.

IT GAVE US ALL SOME COMMON GROUND TO HAVE CONVERSATION AND MOST OF US MILITARY CAREGIVERS COME FROM A VERY DIVERSE BACKGROUND.

WE DON'T HAVE A LOT IN COMMON.

SO IT GAVE US TIME TO LISTEN AND TO TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE MISS.

>> Ted: BROUGHT CAREGIVERS TOGETHER WORKING ON THE LEASHES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Ted: TALK ABOUT YOUR SON AS MUCH AS YOU'RE COMFORTABLE AND HOW YOU GOT INVOLVED.

>> MY SON IS ACTIVE DUTY.

I'M NOT A CAREGIVER FOR HIM, BUT MY FIANCE IS, I'M A CAREGIVER.

WE LIKE TO SAY MILITARY CAREGIVERS ARE MORE LIKE SERVICE DOGS BECAUSE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT.

WE PERFORM DIFFERENT TASKS FOR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS.

MY ROLE IS SUPPORT.

I'VE BEEN SERVING NINE YEARS AND I MET KAREN THROUGH AN EVENT BY AN ORGANIZATION FOR MILITARY CAREGIVERS.

>> Ted: BUT IT'S INTERESTING AS FAR AS MILITARY CAREGIVING, THE ADJUSTMENT INVOLVED HERE FROM WHAT WAS TO WHAT NOW IS.

>> YOU BRING UP A GOOD POINT AND IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.

MILITARY CAREGIVERS' LIVES ARE UNPREDICTABLE AND WE FACE ISOLATION AND NOT JUST WITHIN THE LARGER COMMUNITY BUT WITHIN OUR FAMILY AND UNPREDICTABILITY AND WHAT WE THINK IS NORMAL ONE DAY AND FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS COULD BE NORMAL COULD CHANGE THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT TASKS THAT WE PERFORM.

AND CO-OP SURVIVAL IS FILLING A ROLE TO BRING CAREGIVERS TOGETHER WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND OUR LIVES.

>> Ted: DO YOU EXPERIENCE THAT YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE WITH OTHER CAREGIVERS?

ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE'S COMMUNITY THERE.

>> ELSE FOR SERVICE MEMBERS WITHIN VISIBLE INJURIES.

IF YOU CAN SEE SOMEONE USES A WHEELCHAIR OR THEY HAVE A SERVICE DOG, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND, BUT THE INVISIBLE INJURIES OUTSIDE OF THE CAREGIVER COMMUNITY -- >> Ted: IT'S TOUGH, YEAH.

SHARON, HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE ONE OF THESE LEASHES?

>> TWO HOURS IF YOU START TO FINISH AND IN THAT TIME FRAME, YOU HAVE TIME TO TALK TO SOMEONE AND YOU BASICALLY NEED TO TALK TO THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU OR LISTEN AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK SOMETIMES WE LOSE THAT.

WE'RE A DIGITAL COMMUNITY AND WHEN WE COME TOGETHER AND WE TALK AND WE LISTEN, WE START HEARING THESE THINGS THAT MAYBE WE WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW.

THE MESSAGES IN BETWEEN THE CONVERSATIONS, LEARNING HOW TO TALK TO A VETERAN.

WHEN A VETERAN TRANSITIONS BECAUSE OF A WOUND, ILLNESS OR INJURY, WE REALIZE THEY'RE TRANSITIONING AND WE DON'T REALIZE HOW MUCH THE ENTIRE FAMILY TRANSITIONS AND HOW ISOLATING THAT FAMILY CAN BE FROM THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO US.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO EACH OTHER.

THE VETERAN DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO TALK TO THE COMMUNITY OR US.

AND WE AS CAREGIVERS CAN BE VERY UNSEEN.

WE SEE THE VETERAN WHEELING IN THIS A WHEELCHAIR, BUT SOMETIMES WE DON'T EVEN RECOGNIZE THE PERSON THAT'S BEHIND THE WHEELCHAIR OR THE PERSON DOING THE COMMUNICATION WITH THE VA BECAUSE THE VETERAN HAS TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY OR POST TRAUMATIC STRESS AND THEY JUST CAN'T DEAL WITH THAT.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT I DO WITH MY SON, TOO, IS TAKING THAT, THAT ADVOCACY.

TED >> Ted: MAKING THE LEASHES GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO RELAX AND COMMUNION.

COMMUNE.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS?

>> VERY IMPORTANT.

A LOT OF THE RESOURCES HAVE GONE AWAY IN THE LAST FEW YEARS AND CO-OP SURVIVAL WAS THERE FOR EVENTS WHEN I HAD A RECENT LIFE-CHANGING EVENT IN MY LIFE AND I MADE LEASHES.

AND YOU CAN'T BE UNHAPPY MAKING LEASHES.

>> THERE'S EXPLETIVES COME OUT WHEN YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY BUT YOU'RE IN A SAFE SPACE AND IT'S IMPORTANT AS CAREGIVERS AND TALKING ABOUT THINGS WITH OUR VETERANS AND IMPORTANT TO BE IN A SAFE SPACE SO SOMEONE KNOWS WHY WE'RE COMPLAINING AND WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING.

>> Ted: WE'RE CELEBRATING YOU BECAUSE THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK AND HELPING PEOPLE RELAX AND LIVE BETTER LIVES.

SHARON GRASSI AND SHELLEY STEWART, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR CONTINUED SUCCESS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: THE PHOENIX BIOSCIENCE CORE IS USING ART TO EXPLAIN SCIENCE IN AN EXHIBIT CALLED "ARTIST PLUS RESEARCHER" AND DESIGNED TO SHOWCASE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN A NEW MEDIUM AND WE WELCOME DR. CYNTHIA STANDLEY AND ALEXANDRA BOWERS.

>> THIS IS WHERE WE PAIR ARTISTS FROM THE GREATEST PHOENIX AREA TO SEE HOW THEIR RESEARCH CAN BE PRESENTED THROUGH AN ARTISTIC LENSE AND ABOUT BREAKING DOWN THAT COMPLEX INFORMATION INTO SOMETHING THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE AND APPROACHABLE BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

>> Ted: AN ARTISTIC VISUALIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH.

>> INFORMATION, EXACTLY.

>> Ted: WHO CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA?

>> IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'VE HAD AS AN IDEA FOR QUITE A LONG TIME.

I'M A SCIENTIST, A NEURO NEUROPHYSIOLOGIST AND I'VE BEEN BUILDING THIS SINCE 2016 AND IN IN '21, '22, THEY CONNECTED ME TO AN EVENT'S MANAGER WELL CONNECTED IN THE CITY AND WE GOT PARTNERED WITH BENTLEY GALLERY, WHICH IS HOW WE GOT LEXI AND ALL OF THE COHORTS AND THE THE WHEELS STARTED GOING AND THE PROGRAM TOOK OFF.

ALEXANDRA, >> Ted: ALEXANDRA, WERE YOU RECRUITED.

>> I WAS THE LAST ARTIST TO BE CHOSEN AND I TEAM LUCKY.

>> Ted: WHEN YOU WERE CHOSEN, WAS THERE A PARTICULAR PIECE OF RESEARCH OR COULD YOU CHOOSE?

COULD YOU MAKE AN ABSTRACT PAINTING AND SAY, THERE IT IS?

[ Laughter ] >> IT WAS A FUN PROCESS AND SENT AN EMAIL AND SAID, HEY, HOR OR MORE OR LESS, WE WANT ARTISTS TO CONVEY THROUGH THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF ART AND WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED AND I SAID YES.

>> Ted: I MEAN, ART COMES FROM PLACES THAT WE DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT SOMETIMES AND THERE ARE PARAMETERS HERE.

>> DEFINITELY.

>> Ted: HOW DID THAT WORK?

>> THE INITIAL PHASE OF MEETING UP WITH THE RESEARCHERS WAS A SPEED DATING ROUND WHERE THE ARTISTS HAD TWO AND A HALF MINUTES TO CHAT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE'RE ABOUT WITH THE RESEARCHERS AND A QUICK COUPLE OF MINUTES TO GET THE GIST OF WHO WE ARE AND IT WAS THIS ONE RESEARCHER WHO I THOUGHT, I CAN MAKE AN ART PIECE WITH HER.

>> Ted: THERE'S A LOT OF A SPIRITUAL SORT OF WEIRDNESS GOING ON.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT CONNECTION.

>> INTELLECTUAL.

ABSOLUTELY.

BUT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING WITH A SCIENTIST, YOU WOULD BE A SHHOO-IN, BUT THE RESEARCHER HAS TO WORK WITH AN ARTIST AND THE ARTIST IS LEARNING ABOUT A WHOLE NEW LANGUAGE THEY'RE NOT PRIVY TO.

>> Ted: HAVE YOU HAD RESEARCHERS AND YOU PULL AWAY WHATEVER THE ART OBJECT IS AND WHAT IS THAT?

>> NOT AT ALL.

THEY GET AND FUNDING AGENCIES THESE DAYS ARE SO COMPETITIVE AND THEY NEED A WAY TO SPEAK TO THE FUNDING AGENCIES TO SHOW THE BROADER IMPACT THAT THEIR RESEARCH HAS.

>> Ted: AND DO THEY SEE, MAYBE, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN A DIFFERENT WAY?

>> SOME OF THE ARTISTS ARE GIVING THE RESEARCHERS IDEAS THAT THE RESEARCHERS ARE TAKING OFF, THEN, AND DOING IN THEIR LAB.

>> Ted: ARE THE RESEARCHERS GIVING THE ARTISTS IDEAS?

>> YOU CAN SAY THAT AND DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP, FRIENDSHIP WITH THE RESEARCHER AND WE TALKED ABOUT DOING MORE WORK TOGETHER.

>> Ted: DESCRIBE YOUR PROJECT AND WHAT YOU WORKED ON.

>> I WOOD BURN AND MY RESEARCHER SPECIALIZES IN THE HEART SO I FOCUSED ON HEART CELLS THAT SHE LOOKS AT UNDER HER MICROSCOPE AND THE FLOWERS IN THE IMAGE, THEY HAVE A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ALLOWS THEM TO BLOOM IN SYNCHRONICITY WITH EACH OTHER AND THE WHOLE PIECE IS ABOUT COMMUNICATING BOTH BUY BIOLOGICALLY FROM THE OUTSIDE OF NATURE AND WITH OUR BODY.

>> Ted: DID YOU TELL THE RESEARCHER WHAT YOU SAW AND WHAT YOU WOULD DO?

>> A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

>> Ted: IF THE RESEARCHER SAID, WAY, THAT'S NOT RIGHT, 14 FORMS AND THERE ARE 12, WOULD YOU CHANGE THAT OR IS THERE AN ARTISTIC LICENSE?

>> THE CELLS DEPICTED, I TRANSFERRED FROM HER IMAGERY THAT SHE GIFTED ME SO THEY'RE ALMOST AS ACCURATE AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN BE WITH MY HANDS.

>> Ted: HOW IMPORTANT IS ACCURACY WHEN TALKING ABOUT ART?

>> IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE ACCURATE AND THIS IS A YEAR-LONG PROGRAM.

SO WHILE THE PAIRS MET IN NOVEMBER, THEY ARE REALLY NOT PRESENTING THE WORK UNTIL AUGUST.

SO THEY HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS TO VISIT THE STUDIO, THE LAB, VISIT THE CLINIC AND WORK ON THAT PROJECT.

>> Ted: THAT FIRST COHORT, WHAT WAS THE REACTION?

>> IT'S TERMINAL 4 AT THE AIRPORT.

>> Ted: HOW LONG?

>> EARLY JULY.

>> Ted: WILL THE NEXT COHORT BE THERE?

>> TEN ARTISTS WITH TEN RESEARCHERS AND WE HAVE A PERFORMANCE ARTISTS AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PAINTER OR, YOU KNOW, WORKING IN A VISUAL MEDIUM LIKE THAT.

>> Ted: CONGRATULATIONS AND IT SOUNDS FUN.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Ted: I'M TED SIMONS AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

♪♪