received a fellowship from the Patrician Valian Reser Center for the Creative Arts to start her project. “I tried to figure out how I could illustrate this world of microscopic pathogens that are in rivers and lakes all the time to an ordinary viewer who would never interact with them unless they had a microscope,” said Das, who works in microbiologist Sascha Hallett’s lab. Connecting art and science to illuminate the ocean’s role in climate change Vaishnavi Padaki, a Ph.D. candidate in Microbiology, brings together scientific inquiry and creative expression to explore the subtle forces driving Earth’s climate. Her research focuses on volatile organic compounds — tiny chemical messengers produced by marine algae that influence ocean chemistry, nutrient cycling and cloud formation. In the College of Science, Padaki works in Kimberly Halsey’s lab, drawn by a shared interest in the intricate relationships within marine microbial communities. Beyond research, Padaki is a dedicated artist. A lifelong illustrator and recent glass artist, art allows her to visualize scientific data creatively. She transformed her Ph.D. research findings into illustrations and glass sculptures, which were displayed at the Strand Gallery on the Corvallis campus. Volatile organic compounds are tiny products of marine algae with big impacts on ocean chemistry and atmospheric gases. Vaishnavi Padaki’s art helps to visualize these microscopic influencers. IMPACT FALL 2025 7
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTcxMjMwNg==