2024: CNXNS – UDM SciComm Art

Lokesh Gummadi  Phages are utilized to shape constellations on a bacterial lawn made from top agar and mycobacterium smegmatis.  In "Celestial Microcosms," I employ phages to craft ethereal constellations within the terrain of a bacterial lawn. This symbiosis of science and art unveils the “cosmic dance” unfolding at microscopic levels. As these celestial shapes (Ursa Major and Minor,  Orion, Cassiopeia, and Pegasus) emerge, viewers should be able to notice parallels between the vastness of the universe and the infinitesimal microscopic organisms within it. The piece transcends boundaries, prompting contemplation on the interconnectedness of all existence.

Celestial Microcosms (2022)  Lokesh Gummadi  Phages are utilized to shape constellations on a bacterial lawn made from top agar and mycobacterium smegmatis.  In “Celestial Microcosms,” I employ phages to craft ethereal constellations within the terrain of a bacterial lawn. This symbiosis of science and art unveils the “cosmic dance” unfolding at microscopic levels. As these celestial shapes (Ursa Major and Minor,  Orion, Cassiopeia, and Pegasus) emerge, viewers should be able to notice parallels between the vastness of the universe and the infinitesimal microscopic organisms within it. The piece transcends boundaries, prompting contemplation on the interconnectedness of all existence. 

Zahra Kanji  Acrylics on canvas, Gouache on watercolor paper for 3D elements.  Math, the science of patterns is not just numbers on a page. It is all around us, and different organisms follow different patterns. Bees create perfectly tessellated hexagonal honeycomb. Plants have spiraling arms that follow the Fibonacci sequence. Life and death conforms to a cycle that falls within the intricate web of the world. The artistry of these patterns have been replicated and reproduced for millennia. Without these often contrasting, seemingly unrelated elements there is a lack of balance, without them the world would not go around- literally.   How many patterns can you spot?

Circling the Sun (2024)  Zahra Kanji  Acrylics on canvas, Gouache on watercolor paper for 3D elements.  Math, the science of patterns is not just numbers on a page. It is all around us, and different organisms follow different patterns. Bees create perfectly tessellated hexagonal honeycomb. Plants have spiraling arms that follow the Fibonacci sequence. Life and death conforms to a cycle that falls within the intricate web of the world. The artistry of these patterns have been replicated and reproduced for millennia. Without these often contrasting, seemingly unrelated elements there is a lack of balance, without them the world would not go around- literally.   How many patterns can you spot? 

Mark Schumack  Charcoal on canvas This is a charcoal portrait of a boy wearing headphones, a headlamp, and a digital device around his neck and shoulders. The artwork spans multiple themes, as it explores social and emotional connections to the physical world. More specifically, it highlights the relationship between a youth and technology. The boy "accessorizes" himself with oversize headphones and a headlamp that protrudes and dangles somewhat awkwardly from his forehead. Around his neck and shoulders is strapped an electronic device whose purpose is ambiguous, possibly a walkie talkie or some kind of monitor given to him by his parents to keep track of his location. By adorning himself with these objects, the boy exhibits his yearning to explore the physical world and also use technology to satisfy his own pleasure. The boy meets the viewer's eyes with equanimity, not exactly startled by or resentful of the viewer's intrusion but with a somewhat distant gaze. Has he been interrupted as he searches in darkness for some mystery, or is he simply absorbed by what he's listening to in his headphones? Is he even using the accessories, or simply wearing them for fun? I'd like this piece to evoke a reflection of the consequences of technology on a young growing human, how technology appeals to his desire to manipulate the world but also perhaps manipulates him in unknown ways.

Teddy Took My Stuff (2019) Mark Schumack  Charcoal on canvas This is a charcoal portrait of a boy wearing headphones, a headlamp, and a digital device around his neck and shoulders. The artwork spans multiple themes, as it explores social and emotional connections to the physical world. More specifically, it highlights the relationship between a youth and technology. The boy “accessorizes” himself with oversize headphones and a headlamp that protrudes and dangles somewhat awkwardly from his forehead. Around his neck and shoulders is strapped an electronic device whose purpose is ambiguous, possibly a walkie talkie or some kind of monitor given to him by his parents to keep track of his location. By adorning himself with these objects, the boy exhibits his yearning to explore the physical world and also use technology to satisfy his own pleasure. The boy meets the viewer’s eyes with equanimity, not exactly startled by or resentful of the viewer’s intrusion but with a somewhat distant gaze. Has he been interrupted as he searches in darkness for some mystery, or is he simply absorbed by what he’s listening to in his headphones? Is he even using the accessories, or simply wearing them for fun? I’d like this piece to evoke a reflection of the consequences of technology on a young growing human, how technology appeals to his desire to manipulate the world but also perhaps manipulates him in unknown ways.  

Myriam Allami  Paint, Paper, Coffee on Canvas  Knowledge of your surroundings is essential for survival. Every decision you make leads to a path of the unknown that may cross with other paths as well. In order to avoid taking a left instead of a right, obtaining knowledge and wisdom about the world will guide you on the right path. Everything we learn stems from books. People in the past would discover life-changing information that would be passed on to generations because it was recorded in books. Examples include history and math. We wouldn't be able to understand our surroundings and why things fall when they are let go if it weren't for Newton. We wouldn't be able to learn from the past and improve the future if we didn't read history books and learn from their mistakes. All this information allows us to be in touch with the physical world and the people around us. "Path Towards Knowledge" showcases the importance of books in our lives. We indulge in every word written on a page and let our imagination take its course.  The more we read and live through life, the more the library in our heads loads more books. There are spaces in the library because there is still more to learn every single day. Life is a never-ending process of learning. The scattered paper represents our scattered minds and the information jumbled up in our minds that controls our emotions and our reactions through the course of life. I stained them with coffee to contrast that chaos with the calming smell of coffee that starts our journeys each day.

Path Towards Knowledge (2024) Myriam Allami  Paint, Paper, Coffee on Canvas  Knowledge of your surroundings is essential for survival. Every decision you make leads to a path of the unknown that may cross with other paths as well. In order to avoid taking a left instead of a right, obtaining knowledge and wisdom about the world will guide you on the right path. Everything we learn stems from books. People in the past would discover life-changing information that would be passed on to generations because it was recorded in books. Examples include history and math. We wouldn’t be able to understand our surroundings and why things fall when they are let go if it weren’t for Newton. We wouldn’t be able to learn from the past and improve the future if we didn’t read history books and learn from their mistakes. All this information allows us to be in touch with the physical world and the people around us. “Path Towards Knowledge” showcases the importance of books in our lives. We indulge in every word written on a page and let our imagination take its course.  The more we read and live through life, the more the library in our heads loads more books. There are spaces in the library because there is still more to learn every single day. Life is a never-ending process of learning. The scattered paper represents our scattered minds and the information jumbled up in our minds that controls our emotions and our reactions through the course of life. I stained them with coffee to contrast that chaos with the calming smell of coffee that starts our journeys each day. 

Shuvra Das  Painting on canvas, written word Drying wet clothes in the sun is a common practice across the world and is symbolic of how humans have used renewable clean energy for ages. It is only in recent times that we have gotten used to the electric dryer.   Extensive use of the dryer is an example of a case where an environment-friendly practice has been replaced by a wasteful practice for the sake of convenience.   A household that runs the dryer 3 times a week ends up consuming 468kWh of electricity per year.   This submission is a series of four paintings of clotheslines and a poem.  Together, this piece is expected to convey a message of conservation and use of renewable energy.

Clotheslines and the Sun (2024) Shuvra Das  Painting on canvas, written word Drying wet clothes in the sun is a common practice across the world and is symbolic of how humans have used renewable clean energy for ages. It is only in recent times that we have gotten used to the electric dryer.   Extensive use of the dryer is an example of a case where an environment-friendly practice has been replaced by a wasteful practice for the sake of convenience.   A household that runs the dryer 3 times a week ends up consuming 468kWh of electricity per year.   This submission is a series of four paintings of clotheslines and a poem.  Together, this piece is expected to convey a message of conservation and use of renewable energy.    

Danya Jamalaldin  Acrylic paint on canvas  Just as the chemical bonds shape the physical world, "...اسمي" (My Name is…), symbolizes the emotional bonds that tie individuals together, evoking a sense of shared history, resilience, and cultural identity. It serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of the human experience, emphasizing the importance of preserving and honoring our connections with one another and with our collective past and present. Through the depiction of the realistic heart and the intertwining veins forming a symbolic representation of Palestine, I highlight the deep emotional connection that binds us to our roots and the land. I inscribed the names of the martyrs of Palestine, ensuring that their names are forever intertwined with the heartbeat of Palestine. It further emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals within a community, despite geographical or cultural differences. It serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made and the collective memories shared by those who have been affected by the genocide in Palestine. This artistic tribute showcases how events and individuals from the past and/or present are intrinsically related to our contemporary experiences, embodying the cause-and-effect relationships that define the metaphysical realm. The intended audience for my painting "...اسمي" (My Name is…) extends beyond those with a direct connection to the Middle East, specifically Palestine. I aspire to evoke a profound emotional resonance within all viewers, irrespective of their cultural background. I aim to invite individuals from diverse walks of life to engage with the universal themes of resilience, sacrifice, and the profound ties that bind us to our heritage and collective human experience. Through the names of the martyrs inscribed within the artwork, I seek to awaken a sense of reverence for those who have selflessly given their lives, inviting the viewers to contemplate the universal themes of loss, resilience, and the enduring power of the human spirit. This painting serves as an invitation to all to embrace the shared human experience and to recognize the beauty and significance of cultural identity and collective memory. It is a tribute to the collective loss we as humans have suffered through the persisting genocide in Palestine.

…اسمي (My Name is…) (2024) Danya Jamalaldin  Acrylic paint on canvas  Just as the chemical bonds shape the physical world, “…اسمي” (My Name is…), symbolizes the emotional bonds that tie individuals together, evoking a sense of shared history, resilience, and cultural identity. It serves as a testament to the enduring spirit of the human experience, emphasizing the importance of preserving and honoring our connections with one another and with our collective past and present. Through the depiction of the realistic heart and the intertwining veins forming a symbolic representation of Palestine, I highlight the deep emotional connection that binds us to our roots and the land. I inscribed the names of the martyrs of Palestine, ensuring that their names are forever intertwined with the heartbeat of Palestine. It further emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals within a community, despite geographical or cultural differences. It serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made and the collective memories shared by those who have been affected by the genocide in Palestine. This artistic tribute showcases how events and individuals from the past and/or present are intrinsically related to our contemporary experiences, embodying the cause-and-effect relationships that define the metaphysical realm. The intended audience for my painting “…اسمي” (My Name is…) extends beyond those with a direct connection to the Middle East, specifically Palestine. I aspire to evoke a profound emotional resonance within all viewers, irrespective of their cultural background. I aim to invite individuals from diverse walks of life to engage with the universal themes of resilience, sacrifice, and the profound ties that bind us to our heritage and collective human experience. Through the names of the martyrs inscribed within the artwork, I seek to awaken a sense of reverence for those who have selflessly given their lives, inviting the viewers to contemplate the universal themes of loss, resilience, and the enduring power of the human spirit. This painting serves as an invitation to all to embrace the shared human experience and to recognize the beauty and significance of cultural identity and collective memory. It is a tribute to the collective loss we as humans have suffered through the persisting genocide in Palestine.  

James Graves Photograph The submission relates to physical connections because it is associated with matter, changes in matter, living things and the environment. The best end may be to find a way to change an unwanted object into something useful. The image is positioned horizontally to enable the viewer to look down as though examining a landfill or an open coffin.

End of Life (2023) James Graves Photograph The submission relates to physical connections because it is associated with matter, changes in matter, living things and the environment. The best end may be to find a way to change an unwanted object into something useful. The image is positioned horizontally to enable the viewer to look down as though examining a landfill or an open coffin.

Shuvra Das  White-board markers White-board markers are made of plastic and are one-time use items which are discarded when the ink dries out and ultimately goes into the landfill. We use these because most people prefer whiteboards over the older chalkboards. Chalk is expendable and is converted into harmless dust after use.   However, these markers are big and thick and most of the marker mass is useless plastic that does not degrade naturally.  So, as users we are causing some harm to the environment by continuing to use this very poorly designed (from a sustainability and reusability perspective) item.    This sculpture is constructed using discarded white-board markers to draw attention to this issue.  The size of the vertical towers in this piece were derived from the actual number of used markers that are laying around in faculty offices.

Message Marker (2024) Shuvra Das  White-board markers White-board markers are made of plastic and are one-time use items which are discarded when the ink dries out and ultimately goes into the landfill. We use these because most people prefer whiteboards over the older chalkboards. Chalk is expendable and is converted into harmless dust after use.   However, these markers are big and thick and most of the marker mass is useless plastic that does not degrade naturally.  So, as users we are causing some harm to the environment by continuing to use this very poorly designed (from a sustainability and reusability perspective) item.    This sculpture is constructed using discarded white-board markers to draw attention to this issue.  The size of the vertical towers in this piece were derived from the actual number of used markers that are laying around in faculty offices. 

Lino Diamantis   Aluminum recycled from automotive parts.  Detroit is a city built on the auto industry. My cast bus shows what the future of Detroit could look like. In today’s version of Detroit, we see surface lots in our downtown. We see a city that you need to drive onto the highway just to get from one neighborhood to another.  My dream for Detroit is a city that is dense, a city that still has the big three providing good jobs too. Instead of the big three providing cars for the masses they turn their effort into creating buses, or trains. That is why my art piece shows how easy it is to turn metal from a car into metal for a bus. With buses we can live in a city that is as livable as we are.

Cities for People (2024)  Lino Diamantis   Aluminum recycled from automotive parts.  Detroit is a city built on the auto industry. My cast bus shows what the future of Detroit could look like. In today’s version of Detroit, we see surface lots in our downtown. We see a city that you need to drive onto the highway just to get from one neighborhood to another.  My dream for Detroit is a city that is dense, a city that still has the big three providing good jobs too. Instead of the big three providing cars for the masses they turn their effort into creating buses, or trains. That is why my art piece shows how easy it is to turn metal from a car into metal for a bus. With buses we can live in a city that is as livable as we are. 

Oriekaose Chukwuyem Agholor  Produced using Audacity, FL Studio, Movavi, mobile phone and laptop  “Werim Sonmė Ėhu”, meaning “Carry Me Along”, draws on the musical tradition of Afrobeat, which blends highlife, fuji, and jùjú music with American jazz. Since its creation in the 1960s by Fela Kuti, Afrobeat has been used as a medium to voice the pains of the masses and the injustices in the society. Early Afrobeat music utilized lyrics that shook the tables of political leaders and entertained the hearts of the masses. This time around I am channelling Afrobeats, using 21st-century Nigerian percussion styles and Western pop with strong roots from Fela’s Afrobeat, to call out the history of colonialism in my country, Nigeria, and other African countries. This is a history of violence, looted resources and artworks, and exploited people. Colonial precedents have contributed to present-day problems in Nigeria such as corrupt leadership, unstable politics, and lack of socio-economic development, which developed countries continue to take advantage of. My song and video ask, “Why should the technological, financial and economic gap continually widen between the developed and developing world?” and “Is it fair for them to enjoy an abundance of technological innovations such as sustainable energy, affordable healthcare and food etc. while the rest of us languish?”

Werim Sonmė Ėhu (Carry Me Along)  (2023)  Oriekaose Chukwuyem Agholor  Produced using Audacity, FL Studio, Movavi, mobile phone and laptop  “Werim Sonmė Ėhu”, meaning “Carry Me Along”, draws on the musical tradition of Afrobeat, which blends highlife, fuji, and jùjú music with American jazz. Since its creation in the 1960s by Fela Kuti, Afrobeat has been used as a medium to voice the pains of the masses and the injustices in the society. Early Afrobeat music utilized lyrics that shook the tables of political leaders and entertained the hearts of the masses. This time around I am channelling Afrobeats, using 21st-century Nigerian percussion styles and Western pop with strong roots from Fela’s Afrobeat, to call out the history of colonialism in my country, Nigeria, and other African countries. This is a history of violence, looted resources and artworks, and exploited people. Colonial precedents have contributed to present-day problems in Nigeria such as corrupt leadership, unstable politics, and lack of socio-economic development, which developed countries continue to take advantage of. My song and video ask, “Why should the technological, financial and economic gap continually widen between the developed and developing world?” and “Is it fair for them to enjoy an abundance of technological innovations such as sustainable energy, affordable healthcare and food etc. while the rest of us languish?” 

Jezelle Manni, Aranza Ramirez  Lego components, cardboard, robot programmed using Arduino   “Autonomous Robot’s Adventures in Lego Land” provides the entertaining experience of inventive art design presented through engineering to all! The artwork consists of a 5x5-inch robot that moves autonomously throughout a decorated fenced hexagon shaped boarder of cardboard plastic placed on the ground which stands just short of a foot tall. The cardboard plastic boarder is white, and it colorfully writes Lego Land. The robot serves as a means of transportation for the Lego figures it holds. There are multiple Lego houses that are placed within the hexagon for the robot to drive around the houses within the hexagon. When it is about to run into a Lego house or building, within a certain distance from it, the robot dodges the objects. This art piece presents the cause-and-effect relationship. When an object is placed in front of the robot, it will reverse, turn, and continue to drive.

Autonomous Robot’s Adventures in Lego Land (2024)  Jezelle Manni, Aranza Ramirez  Lego components, cardboard, robot programmed using Arduino   “Autonomous Robot’s Adventures in Lego Land” provides the entertaining experience of inventive art design presented through engineering to all! The artwork consists of a 5×5-inch robot that moves autonomously throughout a decorated fenced hexagon shaped boarder of cardboard plastic placed on the ground which stands just short of a foot tall. The cardboard plastic boarder is white, and it colorfully writes Lego Land. The robot serves as a means of transportation for the Lego figures it holds. There are multiple Lego houses that are placed within the hexagon for the robot to drive around the houses within the hexagon. When it is about to run into a Lego house or building, within a certain distance from it, the robot dodges the objects. This art piece presents the cause-and-effect relationship. When an object is placed in front of the robot, it will reverse, turn, and continue to drive.  

Greg Grabowski Three handcraft clay works using rolled clay filaments Piece 1 demonstrates merging of species with a jackalope vase, piece 2 depicts filamentous mycelium with sporangium, piece 3 is a ToHo inspired Saki set of future evolution based on climatic/pollution issues The three pieces represent earlier American lore’s reflection of man’s interaction with nature and our false determination to completely alter and control it, the ubiquitous environmental connection of organisms such as fungi, demonstrating that human share connectivity and are not the sole common thread in nature, and through 20th century pop culture through ToHo (Godzilla) productions demonstrating a legacy of concern for human’s negative impacts on nature, respectively.

Evolving Tendrils (2023) Greg Grabowski Three handcraft clay works using rolled clay filaments Piece 1 demonstrates merging of species with a jackalope vase, piece 2 depicts filamentous mycelium with sporangium, piece 3 is a ToHo inspired Saki set of future evolution based on climatic/pollution issues The three pieces represent earlier American lore’s reflection of man’s interaction with nature and our false determination to completely alter and control it, the ubiquitous environmental connection of organisms such as fungi, demonstrating that human share connectivity and are not the sole common thread in nature, and through 20th century pop culture through ToHo (Godzilla) productions demonstrating a legacy of concern for human’s negative impacts on nature, respectively.

Acrylic on canvas Chris Nichols and artist team Mechanical Engineering (S): Christian Dansby, Jezelle Manni, Heyzol Pizarro, James Turner Electrical Engineering (E): Kenyae Demps, Valerie Karana, Emmett Larrison, Elias Madi, Alharith Munassar, Ricardo Tapia Vargas, Evan Varga, Simon Yeldo, Allen Zaina Architectural Engineering (E): Myriam Allami, Lena Amanoel, Andreh Khosho, Jelena Sakhria Computer Science (D): Al’ Amin Ahmed, Kasheem Heron, Kyle Karasinski, Eyiara Oladipo, Andre Price, Benyamain Yacoob Computer Science/Electrical Engineering (!): Le’Mia Lewis, Aranza Ramirez, Andrew Rios, Ariana Sanchez, Noshin Zaman Created by student members of the Science and Engineering Equity Development (SEED) scholar program, this piece represents on a small scale how we all belong to multiple communities that cross and connect. Each individual canvas was created by students grouped by their major programs, with designs inspired by how they each connect with their discipline. When viewed individually, each piece represents students from a wide variety of backgrounds who find common purpose in their chosen fields. Viewed as a whole, each piece comes together to represent the SEED program in its entirety, combining connected fields, students’ stories, and the shared values of the larger SEED community.

 SEED! (2023-24)  Acrylic on canvas Chris Nichols and artist team Mechanical Engineering (S): Christian Dansby, Jezelle Manni, Heyzol Pizarro, James Turner Electrical Engineering (E): Kenyae Demps, Valerie Karana, Emmett Larrison, Elias Madi, Alharith Munassar, Ricardo Tapia Vargas, Evan Varga, Simon Yeldo, Allen Zaina Architectural Engineering (E): Myriam Allami, Lena Amanoel, Andreh Khosho, Jelena Sakhria Computer Science (D): Al’ Amin Ahmed, Kasheem Heron, Kyle Karasinski, Eyiara Oladipo, Andre Price, Benyamain Yacoob Computer Science/Electrical Engineering (!): Le’Mia Lewis, Aranza Ramirez, Andrew Rios, Ariana Sanchez, Noshin Zaman Created by student members of the Science and Engineering Equity Development (SEED) scholar program, this piece represents on a small scale how we all belong to multiple communities that cross and connect. Each individual canvas was created by students grouped by their major programs, with designs inspired by how they each connect with their discipline. When viewed individually, each piece represents students from a wide variety of backgrounds who find common purpose in their chosen fields. Viewed as a whole, each piece comes together to represent the SEED program in its entirety, combining connected fields, students’ stories, and the shared values of the larger SEED community.

$Benyamain Yacoob  Microsoft Clipchamp, FFMPEG, Jupyter Notebook, Python  “Harmony in Numbers,” takes complex mathematics and makes it accessible to everyone. The Barnsley Fern, which resembles the leaves of ferns in nature, is created through a series of precise equations in Python. The result is a visually stunning display of self-similar patterns found in nature. The 3D visual representation beautifully illustrates the intricate dance of numbers that gives rise to fractals. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this artwork functions as an educational tool, demystifying the   visual mathematics behind fractals. It enables users, from novices to experts, to explore, learn, and create their own one-of-a-kind fractal art.$

Harmony in Numbers: A Visual Exploration of Mathematical Patterns (2024)Benyamain Yacoob  Microsoft Clipchamp, FFMPEG, Jupyter Notebook, Python  “Harmony in Numbers,” takes complex mathematics and makes it accessible to everyone. The Barnsley Fern, which resembles the leaves of ferns in nature, is created through a series of precise equations in Python. The result is a visually stunning display of self-similar patterns found in nature. The 3D visual representation beautifully illustrates the intricate dance of numbers that gives rise to fractals. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, this artwork functions as an educational tool, demystifying the   visual mathematics behind fractals. It enables users, from novices to experts, to explore, learn, and create their own one-of-a-kind fractal art. 

Endless Forms, Most Beautiful (2021) Maris Polanco Text art, iOS emojis Linnaean taxonomy introduced the formal nomenclature system that allows us to categorize life forms into increasingly specific boxes. These scientific names describe both the organism and its evolutionary connection to other species. It’s a way to make sense of the seemingly endless diversity of the natural world. But in the world of iOS emojis, the diversity is confounding, if not a bit impressive. Emojis were once simply tone-markers, allowing phone users to convey emotion via pictogram when words fell short; now we can choose between a one-hump camel and a two-hump camel if we wish. We can wordlessly communicate the concepts of olive, hedgehog, broccoli, or wheat. Is this necessary? Or is necessity far from the point? Organizing these tiny representations of life forms into their taxa is an ode to billions of years of evolution, the absurdity and excess of modern communication, and the inherent whimsy of naturalists.