Beyond the Big Screen

Events

Should We Let Sleeping Dinosaurs Lie?
When: Wednesday, February 4 @ 11 a.m.
Where: Downtown Campus Library, Room A-2102Q
Speaker: Rebecca Reeder
Is the possibility of revisiting the past worth the problems and arguments that came with it? In Jurassic Park a rich billionaire recreates a world that humanity has never have seen.  Was the excitement and ability to recreate a “controlled” world of creatures past worth risking humanity’s future?  Who should have the right or responsibility to make those decisions?  Were the experts brought in too late? This presentation addresses these questions and more.

From Fossils to Fortune: Entrepreneurship Finds a Way
When: Wednesday, February 11 @ 10:30 a.m.
Where: South Campus Library,  Room G-300
Speaker: Justin Riddell
Dive into an introduction to the chaotic world of business and how to set yourself up for success. Does it feel like your business idea is 65 million years in the making? We will cover how entrepreneurs take those first steps.  Look out for pitfalls that many first-time entrepreneurs make so your small decisions don't lead to big consequences. Welcome to Entrepreneur Park! 

Cassandra and Pandora's (Excellent) Adventure in Jurassic Park
When: Thursday, February 19 @ 12:30 p.m.
Where: Kent Campus,  Room E-104
Speaker: Dianne Fair
Technology advances whether we like it or not. The character Dr Ian Malcolm was very much a "Cassandra": scientists at Jurassic Park spent so much time figuring out if they could, they didn't stop to think if they should! Come learn about the science of Jurassic Park and what we could vs should do. 

Jurassic Park/The Real-World Dangers of Theme Parks:
A Cautionary Tale of Innovation, Risk and Responsibility
When: Wednesday, February 25 @ 9:30 a.m.
Where: Downtown Campus Library,  Room A-2102Q
Speaker: Andreas Glover
Delve into the dynamic relationship between groundbreaking innovation and the complex ethical, legal, and safety challenges that emerge when entertainment ventures sometimes stretch the limits of possibility. Using Jurassic Park as a powerful metaphor, this presentation illustrates how unchecked ambition and rapid technological progress, without careful planning and accountability, sometimes result in disastrous consequences.

Key themes include: 

• The dangers of high-tech entertainment. 

• Real world parallels in theme park accidents and oversight. 

• The importance of ethical decision making and risk management.  

• Lessons learned from fiction that inform safer, smarter design in reality. 

This cautionary tale serves as a compelling narrative for individuals to reflect on the balance between imagination and the responsibility required to ensure safety, ethics, and accountability.

Writing Science into Fiction: What Did Crichton Know About Paleobiology Anyway?
When: Monday, March 2 @ 9:30 a.m.
Where: Downtown Campus Library, Room  A-2102Q
Speaker: Sarah Stuart
Discover how Michael Crichton incorporated real science into the story of Jurassic Park. We’ll trace some cutting-edge research in the late 1980s and early 1990s, how Crichton was inspired by it, and where he allowed storytelling to leap ahead of science. Did he have a personal fascination with dinosaurs? Who were the scientists he consulted with? We'll also touch on the broader cultural wave of dinosaur fever that he rode. How does an author balance an engaging story with the complicated explanations of scientific processes? Professor Stuart will bring examples from her own work; her new novel, Song of the Unsung Mushroom, blends bioengineering with current trends in biology (mycology, fungal networks, and mycelial intelligence) and was inspired by recent research ....just like Crichton!

Contests

This year, Beyond the Big Screen is hosting an art contest related to Jurassic Park. See below for more details.  

Art Contest

Overview: 

This contest challenges you to visualize the themes present in Jurassic Park. You can take a straightforward approach and create a piece about dinosaurs, but a more thoughtful visual image might include one of the following themes:

• The conflict between man and nature
• The pursuit of scientific achievement and/or technical advances without ethical consideration.
• Chaos theory and the idea that complex systems cannot be perfectly predicted or controlled
• Flawed human nature

All work will be displayed in the Lobby of the A Building at  Downtown Campus from March 9- May 7, 2026.

Rules

• Any FSCJ student may submit up to two (2) artworks or digital media pieces.
• Drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, printmaking, graphic design, digital images, etc. will be accepted.
• Works must be ready to hang/display when they are submitted. 2D pieces should be either framed or mounted on white or black foam core.
• Please include your name and the title of the piece on the back or bottom of your work of art.

 Judging
First, second, third, and honorable mentions will be awarded by select faculty and administration. 

How to Submit
Drop off your work in the South Campus Gallery, Wilson Center for the Arts, M1, Room 1110, along with an entry form available at the Gallery. For submissions after hours or any questions about the contest contact the Gallery Coordinator at L.Lewis@fscj.edu.

Submission Deadline
Works must be submitted on or before February 25, 2026, 4 p.m.