Scientist captures the beauty of chemistry

Beyond the formulas and theories that can make chemistry daunting to many of us, SFU professor Vance Williams is attracting students and the general public by showcasing another side of chemistry-its beauty. Using images of stunning patterns created through his microscopic work with crystal and other materials, art is helping to make chemistry more accessible. His extensive photo library-with more than 10,000 images, and counting-is creating a bridge between science and art and helping others to see chemistry in a new light. -Visual art has the capacity to create connections and break free from the tyranny of chemical jargon,- says Williams, a scientist and artist , who-ll present the first talk in SFU-s Café Scientifique series on September 26. He-ll demonstrate how science and art, often considered opposites, might be more connected than we think. -Those of us in chemistry, like any science, have a language of our own, and to new students or the general public, using art can help to give a little glimpse into our world,- says Williams, who began following his passion for -SciArt- after stumbling upon it more than 30 years ago. Today he shares his art routinely in class and on his social media sites.