Students merge printmaking and biology in Bob Goldstein and Beth Grabowski’s interdepartmental course.

When Beth Grabowski and Bob Goldstein team up, science becomes an art and art becomes a science.

The Carolina professors co-teach Art & Science: Merging Printmaking and Biology, an interdepartmental course in the College of Arts and Sciences. According to its syllabus, the class “brings art majors and science majors together to make artwork that arises out of scientific inquiry.”

Goldstein, the James Peacock III Distinguished Professor in the biology department, handles the science. Grabowski, the Kappa Kappa Gamma Distinguished Professor of Art, lends artistic expertise.

“We often get students with a foot in both worlds,” Grabowski said. “Most Carolina students carry a double major or a major and multiple minors. We’ve had art students with STEM majors and plenty of people with other majors that also inform their work.”

In the work students produce, science influences art and vice versa. “Often the science content becomes the vehicle for something with a lot of emotional and personal meaning,” Goldstein said. “In lots of ways, the art influences the science as well, and that’s really interesting to think about because it’s subtle.”

Once the work is complete, the students will display their pieces at an art show in the Genome Sciences Building lobby in January. Take a look at last year’s show.

Check out photos of students and teachers at work.