The Schuller Lab, the Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships (CSEP), and the UC Santa Barbara Library today announced the winners of the 13th annual Art of Science competition, recognizing UCSB researchers whose images capture the unexpected beauty at the heart of scientific inquiry.

Now in its thirteenth year, the Art of Science competition invites UCSB undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars to visually communicate the wonder inherent to their research — from electron microscopy and data visualization to fieldwork photography and handcrafted creation. This year's submissions spanned disciplines from astrophysics to marine biology, mechanical engineering to environmental studies, reflecting the remarkable breadth of scientific creativity at UC Santa Barbara.

2026 AWARD RECIPIENTS

 

1st Place & Best Data Visualization  "Afterglow of a Septillion Guesses"

Harim Choe — Electrical and Computer Engineering, Strukov Research Group

A shimmering heatmap generated from a neural network trained on resistive memory devices — a septillion computational guesses rendered as a luminous tapestry of color. The judges recognized the work both for its scientific depth and its rare capacity to make the invisible architecture of machine learning emotionally resonant.

2nd Place  "Silicon Skyline"

Lucas Wang — Physics, Quantum Photonics Lab

A photonic chip reimagined as a glowing architectural cityscape. The intricate geometry of light-guiding silicon structures, captured in careful close-up, becomes an unexpected urban horizon — a reminder that the landscapes of nanotechnology can be as arresting as any skyline.

2nd Place & People’s Choice  "Shooting For The Stars"

Ivanna Arrizon Elizarraras — Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, Hofmann Lab

A micro-CT scan of an octopus rendered against electric blue — a creature both alien and achingly familiar, suspended in the space between science and wonder. The work earned both a judges’ second place and the People’s Choice award, a rare double distinction that speaks to its broad and immediate appeal.

Best Caption  "Understudied, Uncleared, Unresolved"

Emily Kugelmann — Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, Denise Montell Lab

A hand-painted image of cellular inflammation and biological drama, accompanied by a three-word caption that captures the honest, ongoing challenge at the frontier of discovery. The judges recognized the work for the rare quality of a caption that does not merely describe an image but deepens it.

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

 

 

Honorable Mentions were awarded to the following researchers:

• "Sea of Sand" — Sebastian Alvarez, Geography, SAND Lab. The hidden geometry of wind-sculpted sand ripples, revealed as nature’s own data visualization.
• "The Birth of a New Organelle" — Soham Chowdhury, Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology, Gardner Lab. A constellation of glowing nuclei marking the emergence of something entirely new within the living cell.
• "The Moment the Engine Turned On" — Joseph Farah, Physics, Howell/LCO. An artist’s rendering of a black hole awakening — twin jets of energy piercing a swirling accretion disk at the dawn of cosmic ignition.
• "[Expression] Testing 123" — Phoebe Hall, Ecology, Evolutionary, and Marine Biology, Oakley Lab. Hexagonal well plates glowing under UV light — the quiet, luminous beauty of gene expression research.
• "Patterns in Cake" — Karolína Koutová, Mechanical Engineering, Kodio Lab. Labyrinthine wrinkling patterns in soft materials glowing amber and gold, revealing the hidden mathematics of mechanical instability.
• "Hydrophobicity During Sunset" — Alice Mo, Mechanical Engineering, Theogarajan Lab. A perfect water droplet holding a captured sunset, where surface physics and natural beauty become indistinguishable.

 

CRAFTY MENTIONS

 

 

• "California Intertidal Infinity" — Adelaide Dahl, Ecology, Evolutionary, and Marine Biology, Young Lab. A hand-illustrated intertidal panorama placed on a real Santa Barbara beach at sunset, celebrating the rich biodiversity of California’s coast.
• "Born of Fiber, Not Factory" — Amelia Dektor, Environmental Studies, Global Environmental Justice Project. A hand-knitted llama that makes a quiet, warm argument for craft, care, and sustainability.

 

EXHIBITION INFORMATION

 

 

Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Art Learning Lab, Ground Floor  |  1130 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Exhibit dates: June 2–28, 2026  |  Visible from State Street

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 4, 2026 @ 5:30–6:30 PM  (First Thursday Santa Barbara Art Walk)

UCSB Library Mountain Gallery

Exhibit dates: September 28, 2026 – March 22, 2027

 

ABOUT THE ART OF SCIENCE INITIATIVE

 

The Art of Science initiative recognizes the creative and experimental nature of science and challenges UCSB researchers to visually communicate the beauty inherent to scientific investigations. The competition is a collaboration between the Schuller Lab, the Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships (CSEP), and the UCSB Library.

Full gallery and more information: art.csep.ucsb.edu

 

CONTACTS

 

 

Wendy Ibsen  |  wendyibsen@ucsb.edu

Arica Lubin  |  alubin@ucsb.edu

Jon Schuller  |  jonschuller@ucsb.edu