Students from the University of Miami's Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering traded the lab for the Lowe Art Museum to explore the intersection of materials science and artistic expression.
The visit, part of Engineering Materials Science (MAE 301) taught by Professor Chunlei Wang, was guided by Tola Porter, the Lowe's Assistant Director for Learning, Engagement, and Technology. Porter introduced students to glassmaking from two perspectives.
"The Lowe Art Museum provides a unique environment for STEM students to develop key skills such as visual literacy and critical thinking as well as to contemplate the link between creativity and innovation. A carefully curated object-based learning tour such as this one demonstrates how wonder, awe, curiosity, and engagement create exciting learning experiences that have lasting impact." Porter Said.
Scientifically, she explained how silica-based melts transform into an amorphous structure when cooled quickly, and how additives like soda ash or oxides alter durability, color, and performance, decisions engineers recognize from their own work with alloys and composites. Artistically, she revealed how those same structural tweaks become tools of expression, with transparency and brittleness serving as metaphors for impermanence, resilience, or identity.
"Glassblowing isn't so different from TIG welding," said Hannah Schmitz, a senior in mechanical engineering, noting how both processes hinge on the ability to control shape without a sharp melting point. For her, the artworks underscored how technical properties directly support artistic expression.
Others were struck by how glass exists in two very different worlds. Nicole Fenger, an aerospace engineering sophomore student, reflected on its role in both solar panels and cultural storytelling, pointing to William Carlson's Book of Hours as a piece that embodied fragility and permanence in a single object.
By weaving together scientific precision and symbolic meaning, the visit gave engineering students a chance to see their field differently.
"This kind of experiential learning helps students see how atomic structures and material properties manifest in both everyday applications and cultural expressions," Wang said. "It brings science to life."
The collaboration between the College of Engineering and the Lowe Art Museum will continue, offering unique opportunities for students to experience materials not just as the building blocks of technology, but also as vessels of human creativity and meaning.
