Artist in Residence Program

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

Apply for the Spring 2025 Program using the below instructions:
PDF Program Flyer >>
PDF Proposal Instructions >>

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.

Proposal Submissions

Send your completed proposal to Michele Slogan at slogan@pitt.edu.

Past Recipients

2024 Artists

Musical Performance

Ethan Isaac, "The Divine Carousel"
Faculty researcher: Carles Badenes
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe

Danny Fratina, "Vortex Fields"
Faculty researcher: Hrvoje Petek 
Artistic Advisor: Charlie Peck

Artwork
Olivia Aghabi, "Asterion Waltz"
Faculty researcher: Vittorio Paolone 
Artistic Advisor: Delanie Jenkins

Caitlin Pulizotto, "Through bodies; realities intertwine and simultaneously split"
Faculty researcher: Vittorio Paolone 
Artistic Advisor: Delanie Jenkins

Emily Xu, "Upstream and Downfield"
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Bryan Martello

Casey Yin and Miyabi Kawai, "Sensing, Signaling and Spreading: A Cell Symphony"
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Delanie Jenkins

Film
Giovanna Abucejo, "with mercurial vision"
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Sarah Moore
 

Artists in Residence 2024

2023 Artists

Musical Performance

Jay Rauch “to-cell-to cell–cell-to-cells”
Adam Kantz - percussion and electronics
Devon Osamu Tipp - shakuhachi and electronics
Jay Rauch - Super Snorkel
Faculty researcher: Andrew Mugler
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe

Luis Miguel Delgado “Bitácora de un viaje al vacío; Travels to the void, a logbook”
Faculty researcher: Ayres Freitas
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe

Naama Perel “Disordered Orbits”
17EDO Guitar: Aaron Myers-Brooks, PhD
Electric Guitar: Naama Perel
Electronics: Brian Riordan
Faculty researcher: Evan Schneider
Artistic Advisor: Eric Moe

Artwork

Yasmeen Gauri “Wondrous Suspension”
Faculty researcher: Rachel Bezanson
Artistic Advisor: Lenore Thomas

Readings

Danielle Bouchard “Stellar Companions”
Faculty researcher: Carles Badenes
Artistic Advisor: JC

Artists in Residence 2023

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.

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

Artists in Residence 2022

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"
Faculty Researcher: Carles Badenes

Jason Belcher "Feynman Sketches"
Faculty Researcher: Ayres Freitas

Readings

Angela Velez "How to Live Like a Star"
Faculty Researcher: Rachel Bezanson 

Artwork 

Taylor C. Hauskins "Find Delta CP"
Faculty Researcher: Vittorio Paolone

Alexandra McDonough "Uncovering Conserved Energy" -
Faculty Researcher: Joseph Boudreau

Film 

Noah Livingston "The Red Edge"
Faculty Researcher: Jeffrey Newman 

2018 Artists

Musical Performances

Devon Tipp "Solo" 
Faculty Researcher: Sergey Frolov 

Readings

Heather Kresge "From the Background"
Faculty Researcher: Arthur Kosowsky

Rebecca Martin "Massive and Newly Dead: An Act of Translation" 
Faculty Researcher: Rachel Bezanson

Artwork

Dennis Doyle and Pearl Galido "Searching for Resonance" 
Faculty Researcher: Gurudev Dutt

Lily Klos "Nanoscopic Collaboration" 
Faculty Researcher: Jeremy Levy

Film 

Jake Savitz "Aster"
Faculty Researcher: Michael Wood-Vasey

2017 Artists

Musical Performances

Kenneth Brown "Simulation No.1" 
Faculty Researcher: Jeffrey Newman

Brian Riordan "The First Wave"
Faculty Researcher: Arthur Kosowsky

Readings

Gabrielle Ralambo Rajerison "The Universe Offers No Conditionals: Poem"
Faculty Researcher: Carles Badenes

Jessica Moore "As Light Leaves: Poetic and Imagistic Response to Astronomical Studies"
Faculty Researcher: Andrew Zentner

Artwork

Sarah Thornton "As She Is: Exploring Cosmology Through Touch"
Faculty Researcher: Andrew Zentner

2016 Artists

Musical Performances

Laura Schwartz "System Cooling"
Faculty Researcher: Ayres Freitas

Ryan McMasters "How to Drive a Qubit"
Faculty Researcher: Michael Hatridge

Artwork

Stephanie Taylor "Artistic Exploration of Astrophysics and Cosmology"
Faculty Researchers: Carles Badenes, Arthur Kosowsky & Jeffrey Newman

Sofia Sandoval "Experimenting with the Drawn Line: A Link Between Condensed Matter Research and Intaglio Printmaking"
Faculty Researcher: Jeremy Levy