Plenty of Beauty at the Bottom 2021

    The NNCI Image Contest 2021

    In honor of National Nanotechnology Day, October 9th, the National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) hosted our annual Plenty of Beauty at the Bottom image contest. Referencing Richard Feynman’s 1959 lecture, "There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom," this image contest celebrates the beauty of the micro and nanoscale. Images featured in this contest were produced at one of the 16 NNCI sites during the past year. Click on the categories below to see all of the images and learn about the research. 

    Most Stunning

    Most Unique Capability

    Most Whimsical

    Sites from across the NNCI contributed stunning, unique, and whimsical images of the micro and nanoscale for the 2021 image contest. The public cast more than 2,400 votes to determine these winners. In addition to first place, honorable mentions were also selected. First place winning artists will receive up to $1,000 in travel support to a professional conference of their choice and their NNCI site will receive a framed print of their winning image. Sites who received honorable mentions will also receive a framed print of their image.

    Micro Blooming Lotus

    Winner - Most Stunning
    A Micro Blooming Lotus
    Artist: Aofei Mao and Peixun Fan, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
    NNCI Site:  Nebraska Nanoscale Facility

    Nano-wrinkled Head

    Honorable Mention - Most Stunning
    Nano-wrinkled Head
    Artist: Zainab Patel, Graduate student, and Lucas Meza, University of Washington
    NNCI Site: Northwest Nanotechnology Infrastructure

    Our Cups Floweth Over

    Winner - Most Unique Capability
    Our Cups Floweth Over, But Can Easily Tip
    Artists: Greg Allion, staff, and Sravanthi Vallabhuneni, student, North Carolina State University
    NNCI Site: Research Triangle Nanotechnology Network

    3D Pillar Array

    Honorable Mention - Most Unique Capability
    Femtosecond Laser Patterned Stainless Steel 3D Pillar Array Surrounded by Laser Induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS)
    Artist: Thomas S. Marchese, Undergraduate, Georgia Institute of Technology
    NNCI Site:  Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor

    Lotus on Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Coating

    Winner - Most Whimsical
    Lotus on Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Coating
    Artist: Mohsen Hosseini, Ph.D. Student and William A. Ducker, Professor, Virginia Tech
    NNCI Site: NanoEarth

    Nano Strawberry Fields Forever

    Honorable Mention - Most Whimsical
    Nano Strawberry Fields Forever
    Artists: Ana C. Barrios, Graduate Student, and Francois Perreault, Assistant Professor, Arizona State University
    NNCI Site: Nanotechnology Collaborative Infrastructure Southwest

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