Art + Science Collaborations: Megan Rhyme and Elizabeth Hicks

Megan is passionate about art and science collaboration. By merging dance and science, she continues to expand her creative and intellectual boundaries, forging new ways to embody and express scientific principles through movement. Since 2014, Megan's main scientific collaborator has been research scientist Elizabeth Hicks.

Elizabeth P. Hicks is a research scientist and the founder of Epsilon Delta Labs, a research lab focusing on interdisciplinary research. She specializes in interdisciplinary research at the boundary between astrophysics and fluid dynamics, studying problems where simulations of pure fluid phenomena can inform astrophysical research. In her research, Dr. Hicks has used both theoretical methods and large-scale numerical simulations.

Elizabeth and Megan met in 2014 at the Museum of Science and Industry and bonded immediately over their deeply curious approach and shared love of cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Megan and Elizabeth have created two works that connect their disciplines of modern dance and fluid dynamics. Far From Equilibrium (2015), exploring the topic of turbulence, premiered at the Museum of Science and Industry. In 2016 it was further developed to include live music and an interactive audience experience and was performed at Links Hall and at 12th Street Beach in downtown Chicago.

In 2017 they brought some of the interactive elements from Far From Equilibrium to the March for Science Chicago, including a kinetic learning experiment where they asked audience members to learn about science concepts by engaging in a dance activity.

In 2021 Megan and Elizabeth began working on Solar Dreams (draft completed in 2025), a short dance film that takes a journey through the mind of a solar physicist using modern dance and NASA solar footage.