MSE announces visual competition winners

In the fall semester of 2021, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering hosted its first visual competition as a way to foster positive morale and encourage a supportive spirit for faculty, staff, and students. After a competitive and nail-biting review by the judging panel, the winners have been selected and we are excited to announce them.

Sub-Competition for the MSE Undergraduate Student Lounge

For the sub-competition of the visual entries open to undergraduate MSE students only, the winner is Garrett Baucom. His entry is a micrograph image entitled, “PEDOT: PSS Micro-Scale Sample Array.” The judges were impressed with the striking minimalism, symmetry, and cheerful tone this entry evokes.

Artist statement

“This is an image from my current research, using a microplotter to deposit small quantities of PEDOT: PSS solution on a gold-pattered silicon substrate to then measure the conductivity of many solution additive compositions in a high-throughput manner to learn more about the compositional effect and to identify the best conductivity compositions.”

Main Competition for the MSE Atrium

And the winner of the main visual competition that was open to all MSE faculty, staff, and students is Nina Balke. Her entry is a graphic design discovered in her research group entitled, “The Energy Landscape of Layered CuInP2S6.”  The judges selected this entry for its bold use of color, dynamic energetic lines, and indeterminate organic structure.

Artist statement

“This is a graphic design of a material investigated in the Balke Research Group.”

Congratulations, Garrett and Nina! We look forward to seeing your work installed in our department soon!

This post was originally published in Materials Science and Engineering.