Plenty of Beauty at the Bottom
The NNCI Image Contest 2023
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 two years. 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 2023 image contest. The public cast over 2,100 votes to determine this year’s winners. First place winning artists will receive up to $1,000 in travel support to a professional conference of their choice and their sites receive a framed print of their winning image. Honorable mentions will receive a framed print of their image. Congratulations to all our winners and thank you for participating!
Most Stunning Winner
Stunning Wavy Resemblance
Artists: Sachin Shendokar (Grad student) and Dr. Shyam Aravamudhan (Associate Professor), North Carolina A&T State University/Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering
NNCI Site: Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC)
Most Stunning - Honorable Mention
Lung Surfactant Swirls at the Bottom
Artist: Zach McAllister, Graduate Student, Chemical Engineering and Material Science, University of Minnesota
NNCI Site: Midwest Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (MiNIC)
Most Unique Capability - Winner
Shark Skin Mimicry
Artist: Chuang Qu, Research Scientist, University of Louisville
NNCI Site: Kentucky Multi-Scale Manufacturing and Nano Integration Node (KY Multiscale)
Most Unique Capability - Honorable Mention
Carbon Heart
Artists: Henry Moise (Grad Student) and Marco Gigantino (Post Doc), Cargnello Group, Stanford University
NNCI Site: nano@stanford
Most Whimsical - Winner
The Berry Land
Artist: Elizabeth Zhang, Grad Student, Stanford University
NNCI Site: nano@stanford
Most Whimsical - Honorable Mention
The Big Top Goes Micro
Artist: Madelyn Mettler
NNCI Site: Montana Nanotechnology Facility (MONT)