The Art of i²e: student winners announced in poster contest

Four Polytechnic Institute of NYU students are sharing the spotlight in the recently announced “i²e. We’ve Defined It. You Design It.” poster contest (see images of winning posters below):

1st Place: Andres Donoso, 2012
2nd Place: Karlen Tam, 2010
3rd Place: Lan Xu, 2010
4th Place: Avon Gabriel, 2010

Contest participants entered their visual interpretations of i²e (invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship), NYU-Poly’s vision to transform academics and research by arming NYU-Poly faculty and students with the tools, resources, and inspiration to turn their research into applications, products, and services that take flight as faculty- and student-owned companies.

Michael Hutmaker, dean of student affairs, explained why he created the contest: “My goal was to provide an opportunity to have students tap into their artistic side. i²e seemed to be the appropriate muse as we begin to move forward with embedding it into the culture of NYU-Poly.”

In addition to abstracts about their artwork (excerpts accompany the images below below), winners commented on what i²e means to their NYU-Poly education. Karlen Tam had this interesting take: “I think the i-squared can be associated with 'I', the student. At NYU-Poly, the education we receive allows us to have the knowledge to be creative and innovative, and thus invent; each student has their own i-squared.”

Lan Xu described its nurturing role, saying that i²e is “the crib of future leaders.”

NYU-Poly “i²e. We’ve Defined It. You Design It.” Contest Judges: Jerry Hultin, President; Erich Kunhardt, Provost; Ardis Kadiu, Director, Web and Media Services and 1st place winner of 2007 Starbucks/Polytechnic "Innovation meets Art" contest; Michelle Kerr, Director of Communications; Naomi Nemtzow, Director, Polytechnic Tutoring Center and local artist.


1st Place, Andres Donoso, Class of 2012, Mechanical Engineering
Poster Title: Cutting Edge
Abstract Excerpt: The design is meant to translate the “cutting edge” vision of i²e. The design is simple and direct, yet engaging and modern. The design also represents an explosion of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship coming from within. It’s the emersion of new ideas that embody the nature of a PolyThinker.
 
 
2nd Place, Karlen Tam, Class of 2010, Digital Media
Poster Title: i²e
Abstract Excerpt: The circuit-board covered earth represents a technologically advanced world thanks to the i²e of NYU-Poly. The characters in the foreground represent a NYU-Poly student and i²e in action [the] space ship [represents a] business venture, and a robot and astronaut working together – as invention and innovation go hand in hand. Here the crew is monitoring genetically engineered plants in space, symbolizing the enthusiastic and creative energies of NYU-Poly that are constantly growing.

 
3rd Place, Lan Xu, 2010, MS Digital Media
Poster Title: Innovation into Enterprise
Abstract Excerpt: NYU-Poly is the place where we [turn] our imagination, intelligence, creativity and PolyThinking into innovation and it is also the starting point of turning innovation into enterprise in the world.

 
4th Place, Avon Gabriel, Class of 2010, Civil Engineering
Poster Title: The Enlightened
Abstract Excerpt: This is representational of the state of constant contemplation that students should be in if they intend on achieving greatness, setting standards, and changing the world as it regards to their area of interest…This is the basis of this piece and it sits firmly on the site of innovation, invention, and entrepreneurship which supports and drives the thinker’s process of reasoning and thought.