A lot of our work is rooted in curiosity and not knowing... When nothing is known, anything is possible.
The looming global energy crisis is real and likely to affect everyone. But the prudent response—widespread adoption of renewable energy practices—is impeded by the number of people who don’t have access to the required technologies. Matt Shlian, designer, artist, and paper engineer currently serving as a research scholar in collaboration with Max Shtein, a University of Michigan materials scientist working on renewable energy technology at the molecular level, present the elegant and inspiring constructions they use to teach students about the science of energy conversion. Combining the functionality of science and the beauty of art and design, Shlian and Shtein’s talk encourages innovative solutions to the world’s energy crisis and creating unlikely alliances (artists and engineers) in the quest for technological advancement.