University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The Grainger College of Engineering
Mechanical Science & Engineering

MechSE competition celebrates art in research

1/9/2018

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Last month, the Graduate MechSE Students (GraMS) hosted the department’s second annual “MechSE Art of Science” image competition.

All graduate students were invited to submit artistic images of their research along with a brief description, and entries were evaluated by five faculty judges. Four prizes were given at the exhibit, held in Mechanical Engineering Laboratory on December 5. Evaluation criteria included: the connection between the image, text, and research; originality; and visual impact.

Professors Randy Ewoldt, Mattia Gazzola, Harley Johnson, Amy LaViers, and Glennys Mensing selected the winners from among 17 entries:

  • First Place: “Molecular Rubber Band” by Anthony Fan (advisor: Taher Saif)
  • Second Place: “Where did all the fishes go?” by Kazi Fazle Rabbi (advisor: Nenad Miljkovic) and Kalyan Boyina (advisors: Nenad Miljkovic and Xiaofei Wang)
  • Third Place: “Organizing the Randomness” by Xiaotian Zhang (advisor: Mattia Gazzola)
  • People’s Choice: “Graph representation of capacity network of a carbon nanotubes composite” by Fereshteh Alsadat Sabet (advisor: Iwona Jasiuk) and Pouyan Karimi (advisor: Martin Ostoja-Starzewski)
Molecular Rubber Band: “Neurons extend branches to communicate. At the core of these branches, long strands of polymerized proteins called microtubules (symbolized by the spaghetti) facilitate the transport of biomolecules. Super-resolution microscopy reveals that another protein, actin, polymerizes to form periodic rings (symbolized by the rubber bands) at the cortex of these branches. We show that actin rings interact with motor proteins to exert a circumferential tension, regulating branch diameter, microtubules spacing, and biomolecule transport.”
Molecular Rubber Band: “Neurons extend branches to communicate. At the core of these branches, long strands of polymerized proteins called microtubules (symbolized by the spaghetti) facilitate the transport of biomolecules. Super-resolution microscopy reveals that another protein, actin, polymerizes to form periodic rings (symbolized by the rubber bands) at the cortex of these branches. We show that actin rings interact with motor proteins to exert a circumferential tension, regulating branch diameter, microtubules spacing, and biomolecule transport.”
Where did all the fishes go?: “Superhydrophobic aluminum created by coating coral like nanostructured 6061 (top left) and 7075 (bottom right) aluminum with silanes can be used to increase the efficiency of HVAC systems. We hope to see more fishes in coral reefs by creating technologies that will ultimately decrease our carbon footprint by reducing power consumption.”
Where did all the fishes go?: “Superhydrophobic aluminum created by coating coral like nanostructured 6061 (top left) and 7075 (bottom right) aluminum with silanes can be used to increase the efficiency of HVAC systems. We hope to see more fishes in coral reefs by creating technologies that will ultimately decrease our carbon footprint by reducing power consumption.”
Organizing the Randomness: “Granular materials such as packing of randomly organized rods have been studied experimentally, while numerical methods are yet to be established. Our simulation approach captures the dynamics of elastic rods and contact physics, enabling the design of new granular materials and structures with desired mechanical properties.”
Organizing the Randomness: “Granular materials such as packing of randomly organized rods have been studied experimentally, while numerical methods are yet to be established. Our simulation approach captures the dynamics of elastic rods and contact physics, enabling the design of new granular materials and structures with desired mechanical properties.”
Graph representation of capacity network of a carbon nanotubes composite: “A realization of capacity network of a carbon nanotubes composite. The red/green node represents the top/bottom electrode and all nanofillers that are in contact with top/bottom electrode. The edges show the mutual capacity between nanofillers (nodes). The brightness of the edges is proportional to the mutual capacity, lighter edges show larger mutual capacity magnitude.”
Graph representation of capacity network of a carbon nanotubes composite: “A realization of capacity network of a carbon nanotubes composite. The red/green node represents the top/bottom electrode and all nanofillers that are in contact with top/bottom electrode. The edges show the mutual capacity between nanofillers (nodes). The brightness of the edges is proportional to the mutual capacity, lighter edges show larger mutual capacity magnitude.”

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This story was published January 9, 2018.