In addition to being a Ph.D. candidate in Bryn Mawr's chemistry department, Cassandra Gates is also an accomplished artist who works with a wide variety of mediums.
One of Cassandra's embroidery pieces was recently featured as the March "Chemistry in Pictures" contest winner by Chemical & Engineering News.
Cassandra wrote about the piece, which was done as a gift to her research adviser, Professor of Chemistry Sharon Burgmayer, on her Instagram account:
"For my first featured piece I went with one of my recent pieces (which happens to be science related)! A floral, embroidered interpretation of the molecule my lab studies (well, one of many). Its molybdo-pterin dithiolene model compound for molybdenum cofactor found in molybdoenzymes. Each flower represents an atom and the color corresponds to the color for the atom assignment (oxygen = red).⚘ The leaves on the nitrogen flowers represent protons. The 'Tp*' is loosely interpreted because I didn't want to do the whole thing (scroll to the end to see the 3D molecule structure). I incorporated a butterfly because pterins were first isolated from butterfly wings and there is a 'butterfly complex' that is butterfly shaped with the pterin on the metal center. ?? Also its on a tote bag, so functional art!?"
Since the founding of Bryn Mawr in 1885, the Department of Chemistry has offered programs leading to either the M.A. or Ph.D. degrees. The graduate program in chemistry is designed to prepare men and women for professional careers in research and teaching by providing them with a sound background in modern chemistry.