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
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.
Deadline to Apply (Spring 2023)
Monday, November 7, 2022.
Application materials or questions should be emailed to Michele Slogan (slogan@pitt.edu).
Interested in Applying? Join an Information Session!
Potential applicants interested in learning more about participating Physics and Astronomy research groups should plan to attend an information session to meet sponsoring researchers for a brief tour of the labs.
Session 1: Wednesday, October 12, 4:00-5:00 pm; 319 Allen Hall.
Session 2: Thursday, October 13, 3:00-4:00 pm; 319 Allen Hall.
Previous Exhibitions
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"- Professor Carles Badenes (Elizabeth Brown: Shakuhachi)
Jason Belcher "Feynman Sketches"-Professor Ayres Freitas (Patrick Breiner: Saxophone, Eric Weidenhof: Cello, Steven Long: Piano, Jason Belcher: Autoharp, Melodica)
Readings
Angela Velez "How to Live Like a Star"- Professor Rachel Bezanson
Artwork
Taylor C. Hauskins "Find Delta CP"- Professor Vittorio Paolone
Alexandra McDonough "Uncovering Conserved Energy" - Professor Joseph Boudreau
Film
Noah Livingston "The Red Edge"- Professor Jeffrey Newman
2018 Artists
Musical Performances
Devon Tipp "Solo" - Professor Sergey Frolov (Cecilia Caughman: cello, Jess Weston: bass)
Readings
Heather Kresge "From the Background"- Professor Arthur Kosowsky
Rebecca Martin "Massive and Newly Dead: An Act of Translation" - Professor Rachel Bezanson
Artwork
Dennis Doyle and Pearl Galido "Searching for Resonance" -Professor Gurudev Dutt
Lily Klos "Nanoscopic Collaboration" - Professor Jeremy Levy
Film
Jake Savitz "Aster"- Professor Michael Wood-Vasey
2017 Artists
Musical Performances:
Kenneth Brown "Simulation No.1" - Professor Jeffrey Newman
Brian Riordan "The First Wave"- Professor Arthur Kosowsky
Readings:
Gabrielle Ralambo Rajerison "The Universe Offers No Conditionals: Poem"- Professor Carles Badenes
Jessica Moore "As Light Leaves: Poetic and Imagistic Response to Astronomical Studies"- Professor Andrew Zentner
Artwork:
Sarah Thornton "As She Is: Exploring Cosmology Through Touch"- Professor Andrew Zentner
2016 Artists
Musical Performances:
Laura Schwartz "System Cooling"- Professor Ayres Freita
Ryan McMasters "How to Drive a Qubit"- Professor Michael Hatridge
Artwork:
Stephanie Taylor "Artistic Exploration of Astrophysics and Cosmology"- Professor Carles Badenes, Professor Arthur Kosowsky & Professor Jeffrey Newman
Sofia Sandoval "Experimenting with the Drawn Line: A Link Between Condensed Matter Research and Intaglio Printmaking"- Professor Jeremy Levy