Ted Chiang, award-winning science fiction writer, will join the Notre Dame Institute for Advanced Study as an Artist in Residence during the 2020-2021 academic year. Known for critically-acclaimed stories such as “Tower of Babylon” and “Story of Your Life,” which was adapted into the science fiction film “Arrival,” Chiang will spend three one-week periods throughout the fall and spring semesters on campus. He is the winner of numerous awards, including Nebula, Hugo, and Locus awards.

As Artist in Residence, Chiang will help NDIAS to think more imaginatively about the ethical implications of the Nature of Trust Project of the 2020-2021 academic year. Chiang will participate in a collaborative two-day workshop presented by the NDIAS and the Notre Dame Technology Ethics Center (ND-TEC) to discuss how technical researchers and artists can work together to develop morally significant options for engaging with technology. Additionally, Chiang will engage with Notre Dame faculty on campus and participate in NDIAS weekly seminars. Undergraduate students will have an opportunity to engage with Chiang during a one-credit course about his and other science fiction writings. As part of the course, the students will read “Hell is the Absence of God,” and Chiang will discuss the story with them in a question and answer session.