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Saturday, May 24, 2025
What is the origin of life? It’s a question that touches on science, philosophy, and the imagination. This year, the question was the focus of the SETI Institute’s Drake Awards, where two scientists and one artist explored new ways of understanding this complex, intriguing conundrum. Read more below about our invited artist Jennifer Willet, who created an artwork for this year’s Drake Award ceremony.
As always, make sure to catch up on our SETI AIR’s news and events.
Clear skies,
Bettina
Artist Spotlight
Jennifer Willet
The SETI Institute’s Drake Award team commissioned an artwork to celebrate the scientific achievements of the award recipients Dr. David Deamer and Dr. John Baross. We invited Dr. Jennifer Willet to create an animated collage that reflects both scientists’ research into the origin of life. Jennifer’s colorful, lively artwork was on view during the award ceremony, and while it looks playful, it is grounded in scientific research. In fact, Jennifer had conversations with both David and John before starting her composition and integrates visual elements from the scientists’ journal articles.
Jennifer Willet is an artist and the Director of INCUBATOR Art Lab and a Canada Research Chair in Art, Science and Ecology at the University of Windsor. She is also a member of the College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada. Her work combines fine arts practices such as sculpture, collage, and performance art with applied biotechnologies that include bioprinting, microbiology, and microscopy.
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