Each Fall term, the Department of Physics and Astronomy invites proposals for Artist-in-Residence projects that respond to Physics and Astronomy research from creative visual arts and music composition perspectives.
Artist residents embed themselves in the research lab/group to envision and produce a response that connects to the scientific research. Selected artists are awarded $500 at the end of the program. Reasonable material costs will also be covered.
Selected students spend time each week with the research group, and create a unique work, body of work, composition, or set of compositions in response that is presented at an exhibition/performance at the end of the spring term.
How to Apply
Check back on this page for instructions on the Spring 2026 cycle.
Requirements
- Students should be in good academic standing and be an undergraduate or graduate student majoring or minoring in Studio Arts, Music, Theatre Arts, Film Studies, Architecture, and/or English.
- Application file including contact info, GPA, artistic department faculty letter, current resume, unofficial transcript
- The artistic department faculty letter must confirm that the faculty advisor has reviewed and supports the merit and feasibility of the artist’s proposed work. The creative artist and their advisor should specify how the advisor will support the creative artist. Examples include a mutual commitment to regular meetings or registering for independent study with the faculty member.
- A two-page proposal for the creative plan that connects the creative work to the research groups
- A one-page budget estimating material and presentation expenses (wood, etching plates, paper, framing, pedestals, performers, recording equipment, equipment rental, etc.).
- Work samples, including 2-3 written works, 3-5 JPEG images of visual work (with brief image description of title, media, dimensions, year of completion), 2-3 video samples, or two 5-10 minute MP3 composition/performance samples. Total file size should not exceed 20 MB. Alternatively large files may be posted on a third party site with a link provided.
Proposal Submissions
Send your completed proposal to Michele Slogan at slogan@pitt.edu.
Past Recipients
- 2025 Artists
- 2024 Artists
- 2023 Artists
- 2022 Artists
- 2020 Artists
- 2019 Artists
- 2018 Artists
- 2017 Artists
- 2016 Artists
2025 Artists
Musical Performance
Ali Sadeqi, “The Other”
Dancer: Anya Collins
Writer: Laya Shahzamani
Faculty researcher: Vittorio Paolone
Artistic Advisor: Charlie Peck
Additional Artistic Advisors: Scott Andrew and Brian Riordan
Artwork
Carrington Bryan, “Fabric of Being”
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Bryan Martello
Avery Schoenberger, “Cutting Edge Technology”
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Sean Morrissey
Jenna Margasak, “Celestial Bodies and the Light Between”
Faculty researcher: Michael Wood-Vasey
Artistic Advisor: Melissa Catanese
Junyoung Hur and Annie Du, “Mother Tiger”
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Omid Shekari
Musical Performance
Nan Yi, “Compatibilism”
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Charlie Peck
Architecture
Claudia Engfer and Sarah Satcho, “Scaffolding De/void”
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Drew Armstrong
2024 Artists
Musical Performance
Ethan Isaac, "The Divine Carousel"
Faculty researcher: Carles Badenes
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe
Danny Fratina, "Vortex Fields"
Faculty researcher: Hrvoje Petek
Artistic Advisor: Charlie Peck
Artwork
Olivia Aghabi, "Asterion Waltz"
Faculty researcher: Vittorio Paolone
Artistic Advisor: Delanie Jenkins
Caitlin Pulizotto, "Through bodies; realities intertwine and simultaneously split"
Faculty researcher: Vittorio Paolone
Artistic Advisor: Delanie Jenkins
Emily Xu, "Upstream and Downfield"
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Bryan Martello
Casey Yin and Miyabi Kawai, "Sensing, Signaling and Spreading: A Cell Symphony"
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Delanie Jenkins
Film
Giovanna Abucejo, "with mercurial vision"
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Sarah Moore
2023 Artists
Musical Performance
Jay Rauch “to-cell-to cell–cell-to-cells”
Adam Kantz - percussion and electronics
Devon Osamu Tipp - shakuhachi and electronics
Jay Rauch - Super Snorkel
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe
Luis Miguel Delgado “Bitácora de un viaje al vacío; Travels to the void, a logbook”
Faculty researcher: Ayres Freitas
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe
Naama Perel “Disordered Orbits”
17EDO Guitar: Aaron Myers-Brooks, PhD
Electric Guitar: Naama Perel
Electronics: Brian Riordan
Faculty researcher: Evan Schneider
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe
Artwork
Yasmeen Gauri “Wondrous Suspension”
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Lenore Thomas
Readings
Danielle Bouchard “Stellar Companions”
Faculty researcher: Carles Badenes
Artistic Advisor: JC
2022 Artists
Musical Performance
Ramin Akhavijou “Dark Violin”
Faculty researcher: Michael Wood-Vasey
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe
Mark Micchelli “Entangled”
Work Title and Movement Titles: Entangled I. Ostinato II. Rumble III. Solo IV. Slide V. Solo VI. Rattle VII. Ostinato
Nuiko Wadden - harp
Mark Micchelli - piano
Faculty researcher: Michael Hatridge
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe
Artwork
Emerson Voss “A Downward Gape into Mellifluous Structures of Light”
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Delanie Jenkins
Cara Rossetti “In Stillness there is Certainty”
Faculty researcher: Vittorio Paolone
Artistic Advisor: Aaron Henderson
Kira Tsvetkova “Rats Live On No Evil Star”
Faculty researcher: Carles Badenes
Artistic Advisor: Scott Turri
Architecture
Jack Eschmann and Richard Trevino "Cosmic Web of Light"
Faculty researcher: Andrew Zentner
Artistic Advisor: Drew Armstrong
2020 Artists
Musical Performance
Nicolas Aguia "Simulacrum"
Faculty Researcher: Jeremy Levy
Cullyn Murphy “Realize a Feedback Loop"
Faculty Researcher: Michael Hatridge
Artwork
Azize Harvey "Ripples from a Hazy Source"
Faculty Researcher: Arthur Kosowsky
Readings
Kay Henderson "Cascade, Decay"
Faculty Researcher: Ayres Freitas
2019 Artists
Musical Performances
Devon Tipp "Pale Blue Dot"
Faculty Researcher: Carles Badenes
Jason Belcher "Feynman Sketches"
Faculty Researcher: Ayres Freitas
Readings
Angela Velez "How to Live Like a Star"
Faculty Researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artwork
Taylor C. Hauskins "Find Delta CP"
Faculty Researcher: Vittorio Paolone
Alexandra McDonough "Uncovering Conserved Energy" -
Faculty Researcher: Joseph Boudreau
Film
Noah Livingston "The Red Edge"
Faculty Researcher: Jeffrey Newman
2018 Artists
Musical Performances
Devon Tipp "Solo"
Faculty Researcher: Sergey Frolov
Readings
Heather Kresge "From the Background"
Faculty Researcher: Arthur Kosowsky
Rebecca Martin "Massive and Newly Dead: An Act of Translation"
Faculty Researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artwork
Dennis Doyle and Pearl Galido "Searching for Resonance"
Faculty Researcher: Gurudev Dutt
Lily Klos "Nanoscopic Collaboration"
Faculty Researcher: Jeremy Levy
Film
Jake Savitz "Aster"
Faculty Researcher: Michael Wood-Vasey
2017 Artists
Musical Performances
Kenneth Brown "Simulation No.1"
Faculty Researcher: Jeffrey Newman
Brian Riordan "The First Wave"
Faculty Researcher: Arthur Kosowsky
Readings
Gabrielle Ralambo Rajerison "The Universe Offers No Conditionals: Poem"
Faculty Researcher: Carles Badenes
Jessica Moore "As Light Leaves: Poetic and Imagistic Response to Astronomical Studies"
Faculty Researcher: Andrew Zentner
Artwork
Sarah Thornton "As She Is: Exploring Cosmology Through Touch"
Faculty Researcher: Andrew Zentner
2016 Artists
Musical Performances
Laura Schwartz "System Cooling"
Faculty Researcher: Ayres Freitas
Ryan McMasters "How to Drive a Qubit"
Faculty Researcher: Michael Hatridge
Artwork
Stephanie Taylor "Artistic Exploration of Astrophysics and Cosmology"
Faculty Researchers: Carles Badenes, Arthur Kosowsky & Jeffrey Newman
Sofia Sandoval "Experimenting with the Drawn Line: A Link Between Condensed Matter Research and Intaglio Printmaking"
Faculty Researcher: Jeremy Levy