The Geometry of Uncertainty and a Teaser for 'Synergetics Conversations'
- Syn-U
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is nestled between downtown Providence and Brown University. In September, they hosted a symposium promoted as the Geometry of Uncertainty: Meaning, Exploration and Application of Design Science. My drive from Toronto took about 9 hours while Casey flew in from Oregon. Our mission was twofold: to learn what's being discussed in the field of Design Science and to promote our own work on Buckminster Fuller and Synergetics University.
The Synergetics Collaborative (SNEC) and The Edna Lawrence Nature Lab organized Biennial Design Science Symposia at RISD from 2007-2019 (you can see a list of past events on the SNEC website). Things cooled off after 2019 due partly to the pandemic but also because the de facto leader of SNEC - Chris 'CJ' Fearnley - died unexpectedly in 2022. Anyone still checking the website might have been surprised to find the RISD symposium listed as a new event, which is technically the successor to the 6th Biennial Symposium in 2019.
The initial reception was held in a grand library that featured artifacts from the Arthur Loeb Collection: books, models, polyhedra and an A/V setup of Loeb teaching. Casey and I were glad to see some Bucky stuff included and were introduced to a fellow Synergetics enthusiast, Chad Morrison. Chad is an engineer living near Providence and he gave us a tour of the surrounding area after the reception (credit to Chad for some of these photos!).
The main day of the conference comprised presentations on subjects ranging from architecture and art to biology and psychology. But by the end of the day, we were wondering: why aren't people talking more about Bucky? He was receiving only an occasional head-nod or cursory mention. Wasn't this symposium created by people who were passionate about Fuller's ideas in Synergetics? Has the six-year hiatus altered the trajectory away from its roots? We found it strange that CJ Fearnley and SNEC were not even mentioned once throughout the whole weekend.
The final day at RISD was a 'Maker's Fair' event for students and start-ups. We had the chance to share the mission of Syn-U and Casey handed out stickers (available from our store). Fuller had a greater presence here, especially in the presentation by Roxi and Mariette about the Design Science Studio (via the Buckminster Fuller Institute). Some promising ideas were exchanged between members from various schools and countries. Most of the presenters from the main event did not attend but the Fair was hosted and received by Peter Dean: architect and RISD professor who helped to organize the original Synergetics Symposium with SNEC. We also took some time to view the impressive art museum at RISD.
For the next 10 days after the symposium, Casey and I travelled around the Northeastern US to film interviews with experts in Synergetics who have studied Fuller and appreciate his ongoing legacy. This footage will be assembled into a documentary tentatively titled 'Synergetics Conversations'. You can view a teaser trailer here or via the VIDEOS page, which features our very first interview with the sagacious Kirby Urner at his home in Oregon. Below is a synopsis of our completed interviews from our visit to the East coast.
We are continuing to solicit interviews across North America.
Let us know if you have a suggestion: synergeticsuniversity@gmail.com
Synergetics Conversations
List of interviews from the Northeastern U.S.
conducted between September 30th and October 8th, 2025
Don Ingber at the Weiss Institute in Boston, MA
Don leads a major research and development team in applying the
universal principle of tensegrity for biologically-inspired engineering.
Tom Miller at his home in New York City
Tom designed a measurement system for building Fuller's synergetic geometry
and exhibited his incredible paper models that separate into nested structures.
Joe Clinton at his home in Pennsylvania
Joe worked closely with Bucky for years and continues
to develop his own educational approach to Synergetics and model building techniques.
Medard Gabel at his home in Pennsylvania
Medard also worked with Bucky and runs the New World Game.
John Belt at his studio in Oswego, NY
John was a professor of tech and design at SUNY in Oswego for decades
'softly' educating more than a generation's worth of students in Fuller's philosophy.
If you are ever near Boston, be sure to visit Fuller's grave at Mount Auburn Cemetery near Harvard. Casey and I spent precious time to pay our respects, bringing along one of Struppi's signature beaded models. There is a beautiful tree near the headstone that serves as a reminder that Nature evolves on a cosmic scale and every idea has its own time.
About the Author:
Dante Diotallevi is an independent scholar living in Canada. He holds a BSc. in Biology and an M.A. in Philosophy from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.
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