I, Robot: free film and discussion

Whether you’re a fan of science fiction movies, Will Smith, or artificial intelligence, you’ll be in for a treat when Movies at Macquarie screens the Hollywood movie I, Robot on June 19, followed by a fascinating discussion led by Macquarie experts.

Movies at Macquarie is an innovative concept that provides the audience with fascinating revelations about their favourite films. Viewers who come along to the free screenings get to watch the movie on the big screen, then grill Macquarie University experts about whether the film belongs in the realm of fact or fiction.

About the movie

I, Robot is set in a future Earth (2035 A.D.) where robots are common assistants and workers for their human owners. It is the story of ‘robotophobic’ Chicago Police Detective John Spooner’s investigation into the murder of US robotics scientist, Dr Alfred Lanning, in which a robot, Sonny, appears to be implicated. However, if Sonny murdered Lanning, that would mean he had violated one of the Three Laws of Robotics, the only safeguards against robots taking over the world. Or maybe... they already have? Aiding Spooner in his investigation is a psychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin, who specialises in the psyches of robots. The movie is rated M 15+.

About the experts

The guest speaker, Associate Professor Dominic Verity, worked as a software engineer for the legendary British computer company Acorn before obtaining a PhD in Mathematics from Cambridge University in the UK. He joined Macquarie in 1992, but put his academic career on hold two years later to work as a ‘rocket scientist’ and trader in the Australian Equity Derivatives market for Deutsche Bank and HSBC Australia. Verity returned to Macquarie in 2000, and is now the Academic Director of the Postgraduate and Professional Development Program in the Division of Information and Communication Sciences.

Verity will be assisted by astronomer and astrophysicist Dr Quentin Parker, who obtained a PhD from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, and worked at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, the Anglo-Australian Observatory, and the Institute for Astronomy before joining Macquarie University in 2002.

Parker’s research activities are mainly associated with Wide Field Astronomy, including large-scale redshift surveys and the new Macquarie/Edinburgh/Strasbourg Catalogue of Galactic Planetary Nebulae. He is currently vice-chair of the IAU working group on sky-surveys, is a member of the 6dF Science Advisory Group and heads both the H-alpha international survey consortium and the associated Planetary nebulae team.

Event details

I, Robot will screen in the Macquarie Theatre at 7pm on Sunday, June 19. Bookings are not required and everyone is welcome. Admission to Movies at Macquarie is free, however parking fees apply (tickets can be purchased from vending machines in the carparks). Drinks and snacks will be on sale in the foyer.

For more information, visit the website at http://www.pr.mq.edu.au/mqmovies/ or contact Dina Mura on (02) 9850 6079 or email dina.mura@mq.edu.au

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