1. Experiencing the Bridge Between Biotechnology and Art
Nancy Tu
Environmental Science Major
June 5, 2012
Honors 177 Biotechnology and Art
Professor Victoria Vesna

2. BLOG #1 Heeeeeeeere's Nancy!
Hello Bloggers! This is my intro (first blog) since I just added this class!
Well, my name is Nancy and I am a fourth year Environmental Science Major and minoring in
Environmental Engineering.
I have always been into science and in particular the environmental field. I was part of the
Environmental Science Academy (ESA) at my high school (Oakland High School) and also a
program outside of school called the Student Conservation Association (SCA). I am going to
graduate school next year, pursuing a PhD in environmental engineering at either Georgia
Institute of Technology, University of Colorado-Boulder or University of Michigan-Ann Arbor,
still undecided. I am south campus all the way and consider it very painful to take any north
campus classes. It is very frustrating to write and convey something I already understand but I
also find many south campus majors with the same attitude. I am taking this class because I
needed an honors collegium class in order to graduate with college honors and this was one of
the few that seems interesting and also fits my schedule.
The closest I ever got to art was a ceramics class in high school. Granted it was high school, but
it was very fun and enjoyable. Particularly, I took to the wheel quite quickly and was fairly good
at centering the piece.

3. Even though there is this divide between north and south campus, there are many areas that
bridge across the two. Writing is universal and pertinent in publishing papers. But another one is
art and photography. As a south campus major, I must say that the diagrams and images of
whether it is glycolysis or the central dogma of molecular biology really do make the material
easier to understand. Art also has a special place for me as I come from the fourth most
dangerous city in America and know many people that have took to art to stay off the streets.
Their murals are amazing and show that talent can come from anywhere. I'll leave you with the
mural and just this" I am very excited for this class and I hope to connect the bridge between
nano +bio + tech + art.
This was done by the kids participating in the VAAMP
Program http://ousdhs.ousd.k12.ca.us/2001201091963647/site/default.asp

4. EVENTS BLOG #1 PAUL THOMAS
Coming into this event on my first day of class, I was utterly confused to say the least! I
thought his lecture or speech was made for the radio on NPR more than anything. Everything
went into one ear and came out the other. That is until I saw the art exhibit. I thought the use of
technology was out of this world. The way the observer was able to interact with the art that
works with technology that finally translates into something you can hear and see change was
amazing. I should have preface this with a background that I have no art training or interest at that
when it comes to art. That said, other than the “cool” factor of this technology, I saw no point in
the exhibit. I realized that it mimics the layers in the skin cell and depending on the heat and
moisture of ones breath, but to me, it was more of a showpiece for how we an use technology. I
realize that visuals and art are vital in learning and the way it can be integrated with science is
unbounded. However, on its own, it served no purpose to me. I think a “what can this be used for”
section would have helped, then again that would not be art but just pure science. I wonder about
the algorithms and the technology that went into these two projects and the amount of time it took
to make and perfect them.

6. BLOG #2 YUMMY IN MY TUMMY!
So in preparation for this blog, I documented all the food I've had for the day. I live in an
apartment and only go home during breaks, if even that. So I basically survive on my own
cooking and restaurants. The latter is much less prevalent as I am the typical broke college
student surviving on financial aid and the stipend I receive for research. Because the wallet is
tight, it is harder to buy organic food and food from the farmer's market, which they have once a
week in Westwood. But as I am an environmental science major and have been constantly
educated by the benefits of organic foods, locally grown produce and the carbon footprint of
beef, I do what I can.
There are many issues that can be discussed when it comes to food. One is the perception of
Trader Joe's. I regularly buy their milk/soymilk, alternating between the two, because we all have
a mindset that TJs is eco-minded and organic and good for you and the environment. But as I
looked closely, the carton was not organic (like my passing mind thought) and because TJ is so
secretive about their farms and source, it is hard to really know whether or not it is good for you.
Another thing I find that people have a misconception of is that natural = organic. This is not
true! One example is the Green Chopsticks dumplings (picture below). From the packaging, the

7. green color and the name Green would convey that these dumplings were organic. When I went
to Costco to buy them, I asked the saleslady (there was a huge table advertising them and giving
out free samples) whether or not these were organic. I have now gotten into the habit of
specifically looking for the word organic because of the TJ soymilk incident (above). She said
that they weren't! But they were all natural and from a factory in the local LA area. Companies
can exploit the fact that different colors give a certain characteristic to the product and basically
can have false advertising without technically lying. But we do tend to judge with our eyes first
and in turn also eat with our eyes first. The spiral pineapple looks more appetizing than regularly
chopped pineapple, even though it is the same product. Note: I did cut that spiral pineapple! :)
Like I said before, there are many issues that surround food; each has their benefits but also risks
associated with them. I have only touched on a few, but others include genetically modified food,
food for fuel etc. Don't expect any of these issues to be resolved in the near future and expect
more issues to arise as technology improves!

8. Maestretti, Danielle. " The Eco-Myth of Trader Joe's". 4 May 2010. Web. 15 April 2012.
<http://www.utne.com/Environment/The-EcoMyth-of-Trader-Joes.aspx>.
"Benefits Derived From Aquaculture". Web. 15 April 2012.
<http://www.biology.duke.edu/bio217/2005/ncm3/benefits.htm>.
Shapley, Dan. "When "Organic" doesn't quite mean organic". TheDailyGreen. 19 July 2007.
Web. 15 April 2012.
<http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/3977>.
University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign. "Food Displays, Food Colors Affect How Much
People Eat." ScienceDaily, 11 May 2004. Web. 15 Apr. 2012.
<http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/05/040511040654.htm>.
Whitman, Deborah. "Genetically Modified Foods: Harmful or Helpful?" April 2000. Web. 15
April 2012
<http://www.csa.com/discoveryguides/gmfood/overview.php>.
Shah, Anup. "Genetically Engineered Food". Global Issues 26 September 2002. Web. 15 April
2012.
<http://www.globalissues.org/issue/188/genetically-engineered-food>.

9. BLOG #3 Awww she's so cute!
Ever since I could remember, my family always had animals around; my favorite was always our
dogs. The ironic part is that my parents don't really care for animals, though they were
indifferent about having fish or turtles. But since my siblings and I are in college and moved out,
the house is now pet-free. However, my brother bought a dog 3.5 years ago and her name is
Layla (pictured below in her Halloween costume). I always took care of her whenever I was
home for break, as he would bring Layla home with him. Sadly, he too was a college student and
could not take care of her, so he brought her to an animal shelter, which I did not know about
until months later! *cry!
I find dogs/puppies, most of them at least, adorably cute and innocent. They are always hyper
and friendly and willing to play. Just looking up puppies on Google images will start to make me
smile. They truly are a (wo)man's best friend! That said, I couldn’t train dogs to save my life. I
am like the grandmother that spoils the child rotten. I find it hard to hit a puppy say if they peed
in the house. I have disciplined them but not to the point where I felt bad about the hit. I find it
really painful to watch while my brother is disciplining Layla. I mean look at that face!

11. Sadly, there are no more dogs around. But my other brother has recently acquired a cat! I have
never been a cat-person. I find them evil and moody and unpredictable. It also does not help that
I found out I was allergic to them; my eyes get extremely itchy and red but the allergy eye drops
are amazing! You cannot train cats but you also do not have to really take care of them. Here is
Q-tip!, my brother's cat.
So after watching the Strange Culture documentary, I felt very infuriated. I might not be an artist,
but I know the dedication and care that they put into every piece they produce. I particularly
enjoy the pieces that mix in social issues and questions government policies. The art allows the
observer to what is really happening in this world. I did a little research into the background of
this documentary and saw how strong the post 9/11 paranoia really is. I agree with the initial
questioning because it is weird seeing petri dishes in a home and once they found that the
bacteria were harmless, that should have been the end. But the problem was the questioning of
government policies that the CAE had brought to light with their art. This is a violation of
freedom of speech (through art) and it was not like the art was going to lead to a coup. I was

12. happy and relieved to find that Steve Kurtz was freed of bioterrorism and other felony counts!
We should love forward as a nation as the WTC is being rebuilt, which I saw I visited it over
spring break.
http://www.panynj.gov/wtcprogress/index.html
Suddath, Claire. "What Took So Long? Why The World Trade Center Still Isn't Finished" Time.
22 April 2012. <http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2092503,00.html>
Duel, Diana. "Dog Whisperer's Divorce Finalized". 22 April
2012. <http://www.examiner.com/article/dog-whisperer-s-divorce-finalized>
"How to Train a Dog at Home like Professional Dog Trainers". 22 April 2012. <http://www.dog-
obedience-training-review.com/>
Hylton, Wil S. "Are we Ready for Bioterrorism?". 26 October 2011. New York Times. 22 April
2012. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/magazine/how-ready-are-we-for-bioterro...

13. EVENTS BLOG #2 NOA KAPLAN
As an environmental scientist, I really liked Noa Kaplan’s work. I thought it had the coolness
factor but also incorporated meaning behind it. The lecture portion was riveting and I was especially
interested in the projection onto the sine wave. I thought that was a great mixture of mathematics and
visual art. Her tales of struggles of making the honeycomb made it all the more amazing when I finally
saw it. The dripping of the honey was a little controversial I thought as she was stating how much
energy it takes for the bees to make it and she is using so much in her art. Then again it is art. It is there
to make a statement. I thought her jackets were amazing and very creative to say the least. I was able to
ask her several questions about it and Noa blew my mind with her skills and her abilities. The piece
that mimics the dust and lint I thought was breathtaking. The details of the fibers of the materials she
used was on point with what I imagined it to be zoomed up. From afar, it does look like a place kids
can play around in but I thought the size was very appropriate as we can walk through it, imitating dust
mites. Great work on incorporating the audience! Her art was easier to understand, as I was able to
really see the purpose of it. I thought she gave a great lecture and the exhibit was amazing as well.

16. EVENTS BLOG #3 GENETICS + AGING SYMPOSIUM
I thought this topic was particularly interesting as I am a female and in this day and age, age is
a very controversial topic. The artists really went against the tide and challenge our perception on
beauty. I thought the layout of the room was fantastic. The Andy Warhol section as hilarious and the
best I thought. I was too shy to try on the wig but I complimented the ones that did. I love interactive
exhibits. I took a video of the artist speaking but this only allowed pictures so I took some screen
shots of her. I thought she was very empowering and strong in her belief and that really translated
into her work. As a person of Asian descent, it is in our culture to honor our elders and I believe that
in Western society, we do not. It is a stigma to be old because it is not considered beautiful anymore.
Another issue might be because it is a closer time to death and death is of course scary and depressing
so we shy away from that topic. However, beauty is probably the biggest factor in our society. With
the cosmetic industry booming and the media obsessed with perfection, young people will be sucked
into that mentality. It is refreshing to see someone defying that age stigma and defying what we
believe is beauty.

18. BLOG for Final: WAR!
So for my part of the project, I will focus on the threat to our country's infrastructure
namely the electricity grid and water systems. This idea stems from Alan Turing's
prominent role in helping to decipher German codes. Considered the father of computer
science and AI, Turing was an English mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst and
computer scientist. He invented the Turing Machine, solidifying the concepts of
algorithms and computation, a step-by-step procedure for calculations. But his main
contribution was the bombe, an electromagnetic machine that could find settings for the
Enigma Machine of the Germans, thus decoding the German's military/political
messages. In modern times, Turing would even be considered a hacker.
So what does this have to do with the present war? Our war on terrorism since 9/11 has
been very apparent. But from the terrorist's perspective, there are many other
infrastructure that they can target. These critical infrastructure includes: airports,
highways, rail transport, hospitals, bridges, transport hubs, network communications,
media, the electricity grid, damns, power plants, seaports, oil refineries and water
systems. These vulnerable infrastructures are targets for sabotage, terrorism and
contamination. The two that I will focus on, like i said at the very beginning is the
electricity grid and water systems. The electricity grid (as seen below) is an
interconnected network for delivering electricity from suppliers to consumers. Because it
is connected, knocking out one source can lead to a cascade of blackouts to neighboring
states. As most if not all of the power plants are computer monitored, this would be
Turing's Disneyland, hacking into the system, shutting it down, sending a virus, wherever
the mind leads to. We live in the electricity generation where everything we do utilizes it
in some form or another. Knocking out this power source will not only disrupt our daily
lives, but will lead to increase in crime and chaos.

19. For the water system, even though the central stations are computer generated and can
also come under attack from hackers, I want to focus on contamination. This can be
bacteria, hazardous substances, and viruses, anything that can lead to mass infection
through the waterways. These waterways include both drinking water and wastewater

20. infrastructure. Because the water systems are more localized to the size of counties, it
would also be harder to produce a countrywide epidemic using this method. But like the
WTC, it need not be countrywide to cause chaos and disaster.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructure_security
http://www.cleantechblog.com/2012/01/u-s-water-infrastructure-fail-almos...
http://www.wwdmag.com/house-committee-discusses-smart-water-grid-plans
http://www.cleanwateramericaalliance.org/2012/01/11/smart-water-grid-–...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_grid
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/07/power-grid/achenbach-text

21. EVENTS BLOG # 4 TURING SYMPOSIUM
The Turing Symposium was very impromptu on our part but I feel we did an amazing
job. Turing was the father of artificial intelligence and what we now know is the computer.
Without this class and symposium, I would have never known that despite living in the age of
technology. I went to a few lectures here and there throughout the day because I was very
interested in how Turing has affected the different section of society today. The lectures all day
were very informative and really made the day about Turing. I though the most interesting ones
were the voice mimicking and the homosexuality lectures. It was exciting seeing the way
people have tried to mimic the sound of someone’s voice. I believe it is too complicating to
factor into the algorithms the rises and falls and tone of someone’s voice. It will probably
happen one day but probably not in my lifetime. The lecture on homosexuality should have
been given to everyone on campus and around the country. I am very liberal, grew up in the
Bay Area near San Francisco so I am fine with gay rights and marriage. But I believe that it is
true how gays are the new blacks. In California, we are relatively more accepting but it will take
time for everyone to adjust. It is a civil liberty and no religious group should have a say in how
they live their lives. It is really a shame what happened to one of the geniuses this world has
ever seen. There is definitely a moral in there that should be spread!

26. Summary:
This packet contains all the blogs (regular and events) for the quarter. It was a mind
opening experience to bridge the gap between art and technology. As a pure science geek, I had
no appreciation for art but as the quarter went by, I saw myself opening up to the world of art
and all its wonders. The compilation is a good reflection of this change and I really enjoyed this
class and all the events. This has been a great learning experience, not just about the science or
art but also about myself. I also hereby release any of the pictures contained in this packet that I
have personally taken.