If you visit CU’s L.H. Gemmill Library of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics this semester, one of the first things you are likely to see is a collection of colorful, eye-catching images of liquid crystals created by researchers in the Soft Materials Research Center , based in the Department of Physics. When the call for art exhibits grounded in science went out from the library last summer, Christine Morrow, the Center's Education and Outreach Director, immediately recognized an exciting opportunity to create an educational exhibit centered around liquid crystal images obtained by Center scientists in the course of their research. The microscopic textures of liquid crystals viewed in polarized light are colorful and visually appealing, and she realized that a set of liquid crystal images would make a striking display that could engage and intrigue library patrons. "The idea of our exhibit is to get people's attention, to make them curious about where these gorgeous images come from, and to show them how scientific researchers think and feel."
