"The Engineering profession is an inherently creative endeavor in which engineers design and create new products, processes or devices that solve problems in society and enhance the quality of life for humankind." - Dean Alec Scranton

Welcome to the Virginia A. Myers NEXUS of Engineering and the Arts. The NEXUS is a place and an Idea and a place for ideas!

When Engineers and artists work together they can achieve especially impressive outcomes. Engineers bring an understanding of the physical world and the conditions and "constraints" placed by the laws of nature, while artists bring a creative vision of beauty that can enhance any project. It is the power of the collaborations between artists and engineers that has led us to create the Virginia A. Myers NEXUS of Engineering and the Arts at the University of Iowa.

The NEXUS is not simply a place where a few artists and engineers hang out, rather, it is a creative challenge for art and engineering students and faculty to achieve great outcomes collaborating with one another. Creation of the NEXUS is a fitting tribute to the inspiration provided by the late Virginia A. Myers, University of Iowa Professor Emeritus in Printmaking who is both an artist and an engineer rolled into one.

HAND IN HAND: Can you confuse a 3D scanner and why would you want to? Bailey Banach, a senior Biomedical Engineering student, and Marta Nagy, visiting ceramicist and Fulbright Scholar from Hungary, wanted to answer that question.They discovered that the 3D scanner does not see transparent or reflective surfaces and completes the form as best it can creating unexpected, interesting new forms. This was fine with Marta. She will use this information and the new forms in her ceramic works. Bailey was also working on a project in her Biomedical class and needed to scan a hand so Marta "lent a hand" creating a poetic metaphor that describes the mission of the NEXUS program, to bring together the Arts and Engineering.

NEXUS Art Club is open to all engineering and art students, staff, faculty and other University of Iowa students who are interested in engineering and art. The NEXUS Art Club meets in the NEXUS office, 2313 Seamans Center.  

If the door is open come on in! Contact NEXUS with ideas, questions, or news about engineering and the arts.

JAMMING: Play an instrument? Contact the NEXUS office for more information.

WORKSHOPS FOR ENGINEERS: Drawing For Engineers, Printmaking for Engineers, Hot Stamped Foiling For Engineers. Join other Artineers for a series of ongoing, informal workshops. Materials and good company provided!