figments of the imagination
Benchwork AI prompts from the artist's thesis dissertation examining the mechanisms of plant immune systems in an ever-changing climate. While our analysis of scientific data is developed in silico, the basis for that data collection is built on the lab bench. The procedures for collecting DNA and RNA require full attention and precision and they serve as an excuse to center ourselves in a world full of distractions. Success in this task can elicit nuanced observations of our work, and ourselves. Failure means starting over - but meaning can be found there too.
Inspiration is where you seek it.
Digital series: Blender 3D, Cycles, Midjourney AI (2022)
Computers are the means through which we find the grand realizations in our scientific data and research today. Without the help of technology, many of our important conclusions would remain obscured in large datasets or hidden away in the library stacks. With so much recent attention on the negative aspects of the information age, it's important to remember that the modern workspace is also a platform for delivering beauty and sparking curiosity.
The following works were derived from original 3D models of topics in plant pathology and molecular biology and further edited through a collaboration with an artificial intelligence algorithm. The integration of AI is a nod to the infamous partnership between scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology. The AI also provides us with a visual representation of the unexpected ways in which software analysis can transform the mundane into the unexpected.
Model Species (left) AI prompts created from news headlines in biotechnology, gene editing, and rice. Rice was the first major crop to have a complete genome assembly, which promoted it to the forefront of crop improvement efforts. This staple of global diets has been at the center of many discussions on biotechnology as means of feeding the world, rendering it a scientific model in the truest sense of the word.
Pathology (right) AI prompts built on characterizations of disease-causing agents and their associated epidemics. Microbes play an essential role in the health of the plants we rely on for food, shelter, and recreation. They can support ideal field conditions for optimal nutrient uptake and drought tolerance, but they can also decimate a grower's expected yield. Recognizing the organisms present in the phytobiome is essential to plant health and economic stability, but similar genomes and taxonomic classifications can make it difficult to decide who is friend or foe.
Aphid microbiome project:
Commissioned by the Department of Agricultural Biology at Colorado State University, for Emily Luna's research on the impact of bacteria on the impacts of insect behavior. One special species of bacteria is so important to successful feeding and nutrient intake that it is passed down to offspring as soon as they begin to crawl. These images depict Russian Wheat Aphid and the honeydew (or aphid excrement) that may transmit essential microorganisms.
