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Prize awarded in the 2011 nano+art competition
What happens when art and science enter a dialogue, when space is
given to the tensions and synergies between both disciplines? This
year’s presentation of the prizes for the nano+art competition provided
at least a visually impressive answer to these questions. In his
speech at the presentation ceremony, Dr. Harald Schmidt, head of
the strategic R&D unit Creavis Technologies & Innovation, stressed
the importance of nanotechnology for Evonik and highlighted the
great potential for development of new products and improved processes.
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Second place and a check for €500 went to Aruna Ivaturi
from the Nanoscience Centre of Cambridge University
for her „Floral Bouquet“ (top right): „The multi-colored
‘dandelions’ in this floral bouquet represent women all over the
world—various shades of personality, character and identity,“
explains Ivaturi. Her Floral Bouquet is a scanning electron micrograph
of tin oxide nanorods grown by a hydrothermal method.
The dominance of the homogeneous nucleus formation during
growth leads to the formation of dandelions. The stunningly
unusual architecture of these „flowers“ makes them promising
candidates for electrode material in such products as low-cost
batteries and solar cells for the energy storage and conversion
markets.
elements35 Issue 2|2011
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Third prize, which carried an award of
€250, went to Claudia Mattheis for
her “Dancer” (bottom right), a digital
micrograph of electrospun polymer composite
nanofibers. The thickened parts, and
their interplay with the fibers, were interpreted
as a pas sionate dancer, whose spirited
movements can vibrate the surrounding
area. This image addresses the theme of
„Woman.“
The competition invited entries from female students, graduates and
young scientists working in the field of nanotechnology at universities,
research institutes and other organizations in Germany and
Europe. Entrants were asked to submit images from their research
work on the themes of „Woman“ and „Man,“ with the ultimate goal
of raising awareness of nanotechnology among the broader public
and making it more understandable. This is why the Employer
Branding unit of Evonik Industries has organized the event for the
last six years.
1With her entry “Opera Ball” (left), Julia Lambrecht
from Kassel was the grand prize winner of this
year’s nano+art competition, and grateful recipient
of the €1,000 prize money. The winning image shows a
photomicrograph of a crystallized organic semiconductor
material. Some of the crystals formed on the surface
of the substrate during preparation of an organic transistor.
In this process, the development of the visible
crystallites is an undesired side effect of the intended
generation of organic semiconductor nanowires.