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February 12, 2019

A common thread: Amy Wendt stitches together research and art

Written By: Sam Million-Weaver

Amy Wendt’s science quilt
Amy Wendt’s science quilt

Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Amy Wendt’s work in the lab has led to numerous peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and advisory reports that guide future U.S. research directions. But one product of her impressive scholarly output won’t be found on her curriculum vitae or the citation index Google Scholar: Wendt is a quilter, and she sometimes uses needle and thread to stitch engineering-themed patterns into her projects.

Recently Wendt rendered an illustration of an antenna array graph onto a quilt. Ever an engineer, she took advantage of the college makerspace’s computer-controlled sewing and embroidery machine to plot the data onto the quilt’s fabric axes.

The quilt was a winning entry the spring 2019 biannual “Art of Science” competition at the California Institute of Technology—Wendt’s alma mater. It will be on display at CalTech’s art gallery in Pasadena, California, for several months.


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