Reeves '18 Wins National Science Foundation Award

Reeves, who will be attending Duke this fall on a full four-year scholarship, was honored to take home the award, now in its third year. As part of her first-place finish, Reeves will take part this weekend in the 2018 USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C., where she will have a booth to show off her new superhero.

 

“It feels exhilarating because I feel like I can combine my passions for science and art and submit it to a cause I really care about,” said Reeves, who, as a Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning Finn Student Research Fellow, has presented at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. “It’s an honor to be able to present at a convention downtown and share my passion for alternative energy and cartooning with other students like me.”

 

In Joy’s hand-drawn comic, Heliora, a high school science whiz, uses her engineered suit’s solar batteries and graphene nanoparticles to defeat Dr. Blackburn and help protect the environment of Brightfield City.

 

St. Andrew’s Episcopal School art teacher Lauren Cook was also honored by Generation Nano for playing a pivotal role in mentoring young STEM artists.

 

“Joy’s work sets new bars for us to aspire toward,” Cook said. “That she is using her art to help us envision how science can help us meet the environmental challenges that lay before us is more gratifying to me as a teacher than I can possibly express.”

 

A panel of judges with expertise in either nanotechnology or comics evaluated each entry and selected semifinalists and finalists. They were asked to look at each submitter’s use of science and technology, creativity and artistic or technical quality. Judges included Corey S. Powell, former news editor of Discover magazine and adjunct professor at New York University; Eric S. Rollman, CEO of Rollman Entertainment, Emmy winner and former Saban, Fox Family and Marvel executive; Grace Ellis, co-creater and co-writer of New York Times bestselling and Eisner Award-winning comic book “Lumberjanes;” and James Kakalois, the Taylor Distinguished Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Minnesota.

 

To view second and third place entries, honorable mentions and all of this year’s finalists, as well as past winners, click here.