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“Heart in Malachite,\u201d Jennifer Scheckowitz, malachite crystal under a Keyence VHX-7000 microscope at 100x magnification, 2026. \t\t<\/p>\n\t\t“Heart in Malachite,\u201d Jennifer Scheckowitz, malachite crystal under a Keyence VHX-7000 microscope at 100x magnification, 2026. \t\t<\/p>\n
Florida State University\u2019s Art in STEM event returns for its 12th annual exhibition showcasing the artwork of FSU students conducting research in science, technology, engineering and math disciplines.<\/p>\n
The FSU community is invited to enjoy an opening reception from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, April 21, at the Dirac Science Library, and vote in person or online<\/a> for their favorite piece. The people\u2019s choice award winner will be announced the following day.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s edition of the annual exhibition, which can be viewed at the Dirac Library and accessed online in a digital gallery<\/a>, is a collaboration among FSU\u2019s Graduate Women in STEM<\/a> (GWIS) organization, Art in the Library<\/a>, and the FSU\u00a0College of Arts and Sciences<\/a>. It features 30 artworks created by\u00a0students representing environmental science, geology, microscopic biology, neuroscience, physical chemistry, astrophysics, ecology, chemical engineering and more.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Art in STEM exhibition shows another side of students whose interests or majors are in STEM fields,\u201d said Kaylie Green, 2025-2026 GWIS president and third-year biomathematics doctoral student. \u201cWe want viewers to connect with STEM topics through the artwork they see.\u201d<\/p>\n Artists drew inspiration for their creations from their work in the field, lab and classroom, using microscopes, cameras, watercolor and acrylic paints, screen printing and more to capture the artistic side of science and bring their research to life.<\/p>\n \u201cThis event demonstrates that art can be found everywhere \u2014 even in cells viewed under a microscope,\u201d Green said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis event demonstrates that art can be found everywhere \u2014 even in cells viewed under a microscope.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014 Kaylie Green, 2025-2026 GWIS president and third-year biomathematics doctoral student<\/p>\n Jennifer Scheckowitz, an undergraduate majoring in physical science in the Department of Physics<\/a>, is among this year\u2019s featured artists. Her piece, \u201cHeart in Malachite,\u201d highlights the hidden beauty of geological microscopy \u2014 analyzing rock, mineral and soil samples to understand geological processes, environmental history and fluid interactions.<\/p>\n Using the depth composition feature on a Keyence VHX-7000 digital microscope, Scheckowitz captured multiple photos of the malachite crystal at different focal points and stitched the images together to produce one cohesive photograph, highlighting the shape of a heart appearing in the light-green stone.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I first got the opportunity to explore different forms of microscopy, I was immediately captivated by how rocks and minerals looked under a microscope,\u201d said Scheckowitz, who also participated in the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement\u2019s Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program<\/a>. \u201cI spent a lot of time taking pictures of the microscopic surfaces of many different geological specimens, but the malachite was by far the most interesting to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Scheckowitz\u2019s research was conducted through the Microscopic BioArt research project under the Nanobio Materials and Robotics group led by Jamel Ali, associate professor of chemical and biomedical engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering<\/a>, and based at the FSU-headquartered National High Magnetic Field Laboratory<\/a>.<\/p>\n Beyond its artistic appeal, geological microscopy is an effective and valuable learning tool for students and amateur geologists, preparing Scheckowitz for future research in physical science and chemical engineering. Her additional artworks in the exhibit, \u201cBiotite Schist under UV Light\u201d and \u201cSodalite Crystal,\u201d showcase the range and beauty of photomicroscopy.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile many geological subjects may look identical to the naked eye, employing a microscope reveals fascinating new structures and hidden differences between them,\u201d Scheckowitz said. \u201cIt highlights structural features that often go unnoticed, revealing a whole new world just on the surface of a rock.\u201d<\/p>\n Art in STEM encourages the FSU community to engage with various scientific topics, providing an aesthetic entry point for viewers to learn about the innovative research conducted by undergraduate and graduate students across programs.<\/p>\n \u201cThis exhibition seamlessly connects art and science,\u201d Scheckowitz said. \u201cI believe that art fosters innovation \u2014 the two are intertwined. Artistic experimentation mirrors scientific development, and it\u2019s important to highlight the similarities between the two.\u201d<\/p>\n