The Illusionist

By: Cynthia Adams | Photos By: Nancy Evelyn

Video: University of Georgia Marketing & Communications

“Sometimes, you have to think about the possible. What seems impossible becomes possible.” — Tong Li

Tong Li, a fourth-year doctoral student in the Department of Career and Information Studies, is winning top honors for creative thinking. He leveraged a fascination with arcane illusion and discovered a magical means to win minds and capture imaginations.

Now, he is employing illusions in order to teach science. And the outcome is no illusion. A little hocus pocus may sound like nonsense, but like the best magic, it makes something ordinary become something fascinating.

Li won first place and a $500 prize in the graduate category of the University of Georgia’s 2018 Capturing Science Contest.

The native of Shandong Province in China was also one of 10 finalists in the 2019 3 Minute Thesis® competition at UGA.

Li was born near the home of Confucianism, and uses mindfulness as a tool for self-development.

“You have to be aware of people around you. If you only be aware of yourself, you have to think about how to benefit others…what they need. How to make them feel happy. How to make a connection, a balance.”

With that, he demonstrates a feather trick. Li seemingly makes a feather levitate into the air and dance between his palms. “The eyes see, but what we want to see.” Illusion is a double-edged sword, he notes. “Some people use it to trick—but I use it to entertain and make people happy.”

In the classroom, Li uses magic proactively as a metaphor to encourage students to think differently. “How does a magician come up with so many creative ideas? I keep emphasizing in my class you have to be willing to challenge traditional assumptions. When you create something new, you have to think about if it’s true or not.”

The sleight of hand Li employs is nothing short of captivating.

For younger students who came of age with Harry Potter, there is little wonder that the classroom magician engenders wonder.

Yet age doesn’t seem to make a difference. Magic is intergenerational. No matter the diversity of audience, he effectively speaks to the inner child, while deftly employing magic tricks in order to fascinate, entertain and rivet an audience. The techniques he rehearses again and again can apply to any endeavor, as Li explains.

“Somehow you have to think about the possible,” Li says, pulling a few simple props from his workbag that look simple enough. Yet what they can do in the hands of a master is anything but simple. “What seems impossible can become possible. Then you have to dedicate yourself…to refine your performance, your idea, your product.”
He smiles. “Sometimes you have to think differently. And work hard. And think of other people…and become a good person in the world.”

Li thinks a lot about contributing to world knowledge and originality.

“The tricks I learned, I always see the connection between the magic and my class. I see lots of potential for how to use magic other ways…not just for performance.”

Then, Li quietly produces a “shake,” a prop best described as a magic cube. The magician blows on it and it erupts; he uses this in class as he delivers a riveting lecture on “thinking outside the box”—using performance to facilitate creativity.

Li seeks and finds applications for his magical principles. He uses sleight of hand and misdirection to teach various design principles, such as those used in product and application design. Among his favorite devices is one familiar to fans of illusion: the coin trick. Li deftly demonstrates how the trick works, then, faster than you can say “Abracadabra,” he makes 50-cent sized coins disappear and reappear.

Slowly, more props are produced and Li demonstrates various magic tricks he has worked to master. And he adds, like a conjurer who wants most of all to promote good will, a singular question.

“How can designers make people live a better life and feel so magical about the product they designed?” Then, Li shifts to a discussion of his own childhood.

“When I was a child, I always dreamed about things. I grew up by myself, the only child in my family. My father had to deal with his business. So, they bought me a lot of toys to play with.”

Tong Li captures imaginations by introducing a little magic and a lot of innovation while illustrating well-rehearsed sleights of hand.

Accustomed to entertaining himself, Li began teaching himself magic tricks 10 years ago. Then he found it useful as a means to share principles and teach versus solely to entertain.

“I use a floating table to teach gravity,” Li says and allows this to sink in. Yes, a floating table.

He is doing research in design activity, and contemplates ways to train students to think creatively. Li has been collecting data for two years, and anticipating what he will do after he completes his doctorate next year. He is torn between his love of research and love of a classroom.

“I’m trying to find a place to do my research and inspire people to think creatively…to do further research and reach more students. My goal is to become an assistant professor at a university. And that way, you can do research and teach.”

As his demonstration continues, the illusionist says the ring trick seems to resonate most with students. He demonstrates with a single black ring. He moves the ring from one finger to another in a baffling way, as he encourages students to reflect. Voila! The ring appears to move from finger to finger unassisted; the illusion is so seamless it defies logic. (“Prestidigitation” is the term, coined by magician Jules deRovere a century ago, meaning, “performed with quick fingers.”)

Li furtively pulls various objects from his bag including two spongy balls. All the while, he discusses audience feedback and careful observation concerning what works and what doesn’t.

There may be a gender bias when it comes to magic, Li says. For example, the coin trick seems to resonate most with men.

And he has noticed this seeming gender bias among audiences frequently happens, with women also displaying preference for one illusion over another. Li has observed that a trick in which he makes spongy, red balls appear and disappear is better received by women than by men.

Biases aside, he notes that at least half of his classes want to learn magic.

“It changes their traditional assumptions about the classroom and the professor,” he says. Li’s goal is to offer principles of magic, and link how this connects to students’ own interests.

He demonstrates the “teleportation trick” which employs silver coins. It is the trick he used in the Capturing Science Competition, used to explain quantum theory and particle entanglement.

CAPTURING SCIENCE CONTEST
Tong Li was first place winner of the 2018 Capturing Science competition, demonstrating how to communicate STEM employing media or other genre. He won a $500 prize. In the graduate category, Li won for his submission, “Quantum Teleportation and Magic.” There were 36 submissions from students in STEM-related areas. The competition reflects a variety of disciplines. The submissions included videos, games, illustration, poetry,art photography, interactive displays and activities, podcasts, guides and other types of demonstrations. The judges used criteria which considered clarity of expression,appeal to a broad audience, and also creativity.

“It’s important to think about your audience,” Li says, deftly demonstrating how both coins and spongy balls appear to utterly disappear before my disbelieving eyes.

“Once you get into the quantum world, you already are aware of magic,” Li says and smiles gently. The segue from illusion to science is a neat trick in itself.

His favorite magician is known simply as Yif. He performs in China.

Li married five years ago, and has a son who is 3.5 years old, named Tony, and an infant daughter, Chloe.

His toddler son watches his father while he perfects magic tricks and illusions in front of a mirror.
What are Tony’s responses? “To him, everything is like magic,” Li smiles.

Li says he strives to model a positive example to his son who is cognizant of his father’s interests.

“I want him to succeed,” he says.

His mentor, Lloyd Reiber is a professor in the Department of Career and Information Studies. Reiber is really into magic, Li says happily. Under his tutelage, Li focuses on facilitating students’ creative design activities.

Li is also certified in administering UGA’s Torrance Creativity test. Creativity absorbs him, fascinates him completely.

He muses over one question: what is most interesting about him?

“I’m trying to challenge myself,” he replies. “I don’t want to repeat other people’s work.” He wants to make his unique contribution, to “do something that has never been done before and take risks. I believe this spirit is very important. Willing to take a risk.”

When facing an audience, Li faces a top-rated fear—the fear of public speaking. According to the Nov. 2017 Psychology Today, at least 25% of adults report experiencing it. But Li has worked to learn from fear whenever he introduces a new magic routine.

“I feel a lot of fears every time I do it,” he explains. Inevitably, he worries about being caught. If he isn’t polished enough, if the routine is too slow or clunky, an audience member may realize how he did the trick. All magicians dread this, Li says, but he has found a way to make it positive for both him and the audience member. “When they catch me, I ask them, how did they catch me?”

Li explains, “By talking with them and collecting their feedback, I can learn how to improve my performance and bring more surprises to my audience. The empathy for your audience is central to both magicians and designers. A good designer needs to constantly collect feedback from people for further refining their design products.”

Li dreams of making it big in creativity circles, by constantly making the impossible possible. He is fascinated by those who do.

So, if he could invite famous people for a dinner, his first choice would be a tech maverick. “I would love to be able to talk with Steve Jobs. I admire his spirit. Dream big. Don’t be afraid of failure. Always think of how you can benefit people and change this world.”

Li repacks his magic props.

“You have to set your goal very high. It’s better than if your goal is too realistic…and you never challenge yourself.”

He has already achieved some magic in his personal life. Li has traveled far; he has seen foreign lands. He has earned an advanced education at a top research institution, found a way to use the best of what he has been taught.

“In my family, no one has gone abroad before. I am the first to go out of China and see what’s going on over here.” Li has synthesized Eastern and Western traditions.

Beyond his mastery of magic, what might others find most unexpected about Li?

He pauses and answers, involving the world of the imagination. “I like the Marvel movies, and super hero
movies a lot. I like fantasy movies a lot. I try to bring magical feelings to people.”

And, with a shy smile, Li adds, “When students say, I got it! I feel so happy. I think about this world, this future…”

“Once you get into the quantum world, you already are aware of magic,” -Tong Li