Jing (Sophie) Xia

UCLA Psychobiology Major

Honors 177

Professor Vesna

June 02, 2012

Introduction:

My name is Jing (Sophie) Xia and I am a fourth year Psychobiology Major. I was always

interested in art when I was little but in school, I always seemed to excel and focus more on

science. Before these lectures, I saw the separation of science and art as two distinctive cultures

mainly because of the influence of my educational system. For instance, as a UCLA South

Campus Major (Math and Sciences), I rarely get the opportunity to interact with students from

North Campus Majors (Humanities and Arts) or take classes with them. This physical separation

alone hinders scientists and arts from developing interactively. As a science major, I agree with

some of the ideas from RSA Animate- “Changing Education Paradigms” in that education is

focused on conformity with the growth of standardized tests. School functions similar to that of a

factory and students like me are taught to learn linearly and without creativity. Hence, I feel like

my divergent creativity skills have deteriorated through my educational years.

I found it amusing that the Oxford Dictionary had no word “science” before the 1860’s and that

the first time “science” was termed, it was an analog to artist. I now question the separation in art

and science due to multiple reasons. For instance, the stereotypical images of scientists and

artists in my head have many similar characteristics. Also, I agree with Goethe that as a scientist,

one is not a passive observer but rather a participatory individual.

I am excited to learn more about how science and art integrate.

(How science and art integrate to promote messages about food, healthy eating, and global

sustainability).

(The physical separation between UCLA North and South Campus Majors).

References:

1. Jennifer Jacquet . Guilty Planet. 2010. Photograph. World Science Festival, Berkeley.

Web. 9 Apr 2012.

<http://worldsciencefestival.com/blog/migrations_between_science_and_art>.

2. Lehrer, Jonah. "Science Needs to Find a Place for the Arts." Seed. 08 04 2012: n. page.

Web. 9 Apr. 2012.

<http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/the_future_of_science_is_art/>.

3. Love, Tim. "Science and Arts." Litrefs Articles. N.p., 01 Jan 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.

<http://litrefsarticles.blogspot.com/2011/01/science-and-arts.html>.

4. Skomorowska, Amica. "Beauty, Charm, and Strangeness: Art and Science as Metaphor."

Lapidarium notes. N.p., 12 03 2012. Web. 9 Apr. 2012.

<http://aminotes.tumblr.com/post/18660520623/beauty-charm-and-strangeness....

5. UCLA Campus Map. 2011. Photograph. UCLA, Los Angeles.

6. Lehrer, Jonah. "Science Needs to Find a Place for the Arts." Seed. 08 04 2012: n. page.

Web. 9 Apr. 2012.

<http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/the_future_of_science_is_art/>.

GMO Food and My Diet:

As a college student, I live on a tight budget and usually buy low to middle priced items in the

local grocery store, Ralphs. I eat out at fast foods or restaurants for about four meals per week.

For the rest of the week when I’m not running on a busy schedule, I try to cook my own meals

for lunch and dinner. I cook easy meals such as spaghetti, rice and broccoli, and some Chinese

cuisine that include as tomato and eggs. When I go home on the weekends, my parents to buy

and cook organic vegetable and meat. But I tend to not purchase organic foods because they are

mostly twice or three times the price of non-organic foods.

I would like to research more about the chicken I eat. I usually cook Farmer John California

Natural Smoked Chicken or other similarly popular brands. I never knew that the meat I eat was

so industrialized and unnatural until I saw the movie Food, Inc. I realized these chickens are

mass-produced and raised in the dark and packed in cages that do not allow movement. They are

fed not grains or natural seeds but the intestines and leftover meat from cows or other animals.

They are grown so large that they are unable to move and their bodies are consisted of not lean

muscle but unhealthy fat. The chickens are fed antibiotics, GMO Food, and other chemicals to

make them grow large merely for the sake of profit. After watching the movie I never looked at

dinner the same way again. I now see a link between GMO foods and industrialized meat and

how these foods can directly influence my health.

References:

1. Anne Smith. Food, Inc. - You Can Change The World One Bite At A Time . 2009.

Photograph. Let it Shine, Pennsylvania. Web. 14 Apr 2012.

<http://anne99.blogspot.com/2009/11/food-inc-you-can-change-world-one-bit....

2. Cancer Risk Reduction. 2011. Photograph. Organic Food BenefitsWeb. 14 Apr 2012.

<http://foods.organicxbenefits.com/organic-food-benefits-cancer-reduction/>.

3. GMO feed to Chicken . 2012. Photograph. Agricultural Blog, Pakistan. Web. 14 Apr

2012. <http://pakagri.blogspot.com/2012/01/gmo-feed-to-chicken-picture.html>.

4. Sprague, Jonathan. "Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food." Time Magazine

Health. 20 Aug 2009: n. page. Web. 14 Apr. 2012.

<www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1917726,00.html>">http://www.time.com

/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1917726,00.html>.

5. Wilner, Nicole. "What is Industrial Food?." TLC. TLC, 2010. Web. 14 Apr 2012.

<http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/understanding-food-labels5.htm>.

My Relationship with Animals:

I have an adorable kitty that resembles the physical appearance of Garfield. I love coming home

to him because he always greets me with warmth and elegance. It always cheers me up when I

see him even after a bad day. I am very fond of furry pets of all types because they provide

unconditional support, companionship, and even entertainment. I believe that for the sake of

companionship, owners should appreciate pets the way they are naturally and not have to have

genetically engineered pets. Genetically engineered animals may yield imperfect results such as

unpredictable growth and development and even other debilitating health issues. Pet owners

should appreciate pets the away they are and not seek perfection in pet’s breed, physical

appearance, or temperament.

On the other hand, cloning animals may be progressive in that the research results may benefit

humans in the future. It is still very controversial because these types of research also carry great

risks. For instance, Dolly, the first successful cloning of a mammal from adult cells, lived about

half the age of that of the average sheep and had illnesses similar to those of old sheep while she

was still young.

Steven Kurtz story serves as evidence that the government often has motives other than the most

apparent one. It was frustrating to see that the FBI did not act reasonably and simply framed

Steven Kurtz because they wanted to end his research. Obviously Kurtz’ research served as

threatening to the U.S. government so that the FBI made an excuse to accuse Kurtz. The

government restricts the media and publications about issues that are controversial, thus we often

do not hear the truth. Kurtz was researching for the sake of the public health but since he did not

benefit the government in anyway, the government was willing to use any excuse to frame him.

The lesson is to always be doubtful of the media and what the government tells (and don’t tell)

you.

References:

1. Dolly, Cloned Sheep | Mar. 10, 1997. 1997. Photograph. TIME MagazineWeb. 24 Apr

2012. < http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,19970310,00.html>

2. "Genetic Engineering." Kindness and Care for Animals. MSPCA–Angell, 24 Feb 2011.

Web. 24 Apr. 2012. < http://www.mspca.org/programs/animal-protection-

legislation/animal-welfa....>.

3. Messer, Mel. "Genetically Modified Pets." Care to Make a Difference. N.p., 30 Dec 2008.

Web. 24 Apr. 2012. < http://www.care2.com/greenliving/genetically-modified-pets.html>.

4. "Observing life and pursuing my reflections ." N.p., 24 Feb 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. <

http://www.liekearends.com/funny/spirituality-and-smelly-feet>.

5. "1996: July – Dolly." Oracle Think Quest. Roslin Institute, n. d. Web. 24 Apr. 2012.

<http://library.thinkquest.org/C0122429/history/1996.htm>.

Noa Kaplan, Nutrition, and Mental Health:

Noa Kaplan’s works focused on texture and bringing awareness about diets and microscopic

structures. My favorite piece of her art work is the “Pollen”, in which she magnified one single

piece of pollen and dripped honey from an illuminated bottle above the pollen. It explored the

relationship between the fruitful honey that bees make and the great amount of effort that it

really takes to create such delicious honey. It not only reflected her own personal growth in her

changing diet but also provoked questions such as “is it moral to take honey from such hard

working bees and sell it in such massive amounts?” I really enjoyed this piece because from her

presentation, I can really tell that she grew as a person throughout this piece of art.

I also enjoyed her piece on the “Dust Bunny”. I felt like she put a lot of effort into this project,

even risking her own health. She really showed me that there is a whole other world of

microscopic structures that I ignore on a daily basis. It really reminds me again how much art can

influence its viewers.

Her art led to my research on Diets and Art. I came upon a website that had art pieces that

portrayed artworks made of vegetables and molded into shapes of animals or objects. I found that

entertaining and also intriguing- as some mammals (such as cows and pigs) were composed of

vegetables. I wonder if the artist that constructed those pieces thought about the relationship

between meat and vegetables.

I also explored Nutrition and Mental Health and found out that certain types of food significantly

affect your mental health! For example, when people have tea or coffee, they may also socialize

with friends, which may result in positive feelings. Since I am a Psychobiology major, I found

this very relatable to my major and interest.

Lastly, I want to share a photo that captured my eyes. It is a portrayal of honey, and it is very

focused on the structure and the texture of it. It somehow reminds me of the honey talked about

by Noa but the honey is also similar to the textures of “Dust Bunny”!

References:

1. "A Pathy Place." N.p., 05 May 2011. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

<http://apatchyplace.blogspot.com/2011/08/smooth-silky-and-sweet-thats-my...>.

2. Melville, Barbara. "Nutrition and Mental Health." Psychiatric Disorders. N.p., 8 June

2008. Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://suite101.com/article/nutrition-and-mental-health-

a56326>.

3. Saleem, M. "Incredible Artworks Made From Food." Web Urbanist. N.p., 23 June 2011.

Web. 30 Apr. 2012. <http://weburbanist.com/2009/01/08/food-art-and-food-artists/>.

4. "Vegan Diet." US News Health. N.p., n. d. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

<http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/vegan-diet>.

5. "Vegetarian Diet." Mayo Clinic. N.p., n. d. Web. 30 Apr. 2012.

<http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vegetarian-diet/HQ01596>.

Kathy Brew on Aging Extra Credit:

I thought Kathy Brew’s art was very close to heart and quite understandable. She had one central

theme, and that is to explore her own aging process and the public’s conception of aging. She

wanted bring out a message that motivates people to accept, appreciate, and embrace the beauty

of the aging process. One particular part of her exhibition that left an impression on me is the

wall full of degrading adjectives for old people. The wall had words such as “old fogey”, “biddy”,

and “hag” and they represent the malicious ways that society views old people. I also liked the

silver haired wig in the center of the exhibition. It was something in the exhibition for viewers to

participate in and for a moment, be in the shoes of an old person. Overall, I felt this exhibition

was very informative and educational.

Ageism is alive and well in our country. I believe that instead of anti-aging, we should promote

pro-aging. After all, aging is a natural process and should be embraced just like youth and

maturity. There are campaigns already targeting pro-aging, such as Dove. They encourage

women to embrace their skin and appearance no matter how old they are.

Dove came out with a body lotion specifically for older women and it’s called “Dove Pro-Age”.

By having a major brand come out with this type of lotion, I think it is a step towards accepting

and embracing aging.

References:

1. "Dove pro age body lotion review." Makeup Diaries. N.p., 25 Mar 2012. Web. 12 May.

2012. <http://sexnmakeupdiaries.wordpress.com/2012/03/25/dove-pro-age-body-lotion-

review/>.

2. Forgaard, Kim. "The New View on Beauty." Kim Forgaard's Take. N.p., 31 Mar 2011.

Web. 12 May. 2012. <http://blogs.ubc.ca/kforgaard/>.

3. Jasheway, Leigh Anne. "I’m Pro-Aging." National Association of Baby Bommer Women.

N.p., n. d. Web. 12 May. 2012. <http://nabbw.com/expert-columns/arts-and-

entertainment/boomer-humor/im-pro-aging/>.

4. "Pro-Aging." Changing Aging. N.p., n. d. Web. 12 May. 2012.

<http://changingaging.org/blog/tag/pro-aging/>.

5. "Pro Aging Network." Web. 12 May. 2012. <http://www.retirement-living.com/proaging-

network/>.

6. UCLA California NanoSystems Institude. <http://artsci.ucla.edu/?q=events/genetics-

aging-symposium-going-gray-kat...>.

Alan Turing and Fibonacci Numbers:

Our group will study Alan Turing's Fibonacci Numbers and I will specifically focus on Natural

Occurrence of Fibonacci Numbers in pine cones and plant leafs. Pine cones display the

Fibonacci Spirals clearly. The best way to examine these patterns is to observe pine cones form

the base where the stalk connects it to the tree. For instance, one set of spirals go in one uniform

direction whereas another set of spirals go in the opposite direction (see images below). In one

direction, we count 8 whirls whereas in the other direction, we count 13 whirls. Both 8 and 13

are

In another pine cone, there is also evidence of Fibonacci spirals as the patterns on the pine cone

arrange in two different directions of spirals.

In addition, many plants show the Fibonacci numbers in the arrangements of the leaves around

their stems. When we look down on a plant, we notice that the leaves are arranged such that the

leaves higher up on the stem do not hide leaves below. This ensures that no matter where leaves

are located on a stem, they are able to receive sunlight. Fibonacci numbers are evident in two

ways in terms of leaves per turn. First, it occurs when we count the number of times we go

around the stem. Secondly, it occurs when we count leaves until we encounter a leaf directly

above the leaf we started with. If we count in the other direction, we get a different number of

turns with same number of leaves. The number of turns in each direction and the number of

leaves met are three consecutive Fibonacci numbers. In the example below, we have to rotate 3

turns clockwise to meet a leaf that is directly above the first leaf we counted. On the way, we

pass by 5 leaves. If now we count anti-clockwise, we only turn 2 times. Indeed, 2, 3, and 5 are

consecutive Fibonacci numbers.

References:

1. "Evolution." How Stuff Works. N.p., n. d. Web. 20 May. 2012.

<http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/evolution>.

2. "Fibonacci Numbers and Nature." Rabbits, Cows and Bees Family Trees . N.p., n. d. Web.

20 May. 2012. <http://www.maths.surrey.ac.uk/hosted-

sites/R.Knott/Fibonacci/fibnat.html>.

3. "Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Section." N.p., n. d. Web. 20 May. 2012.

<http://britton.disted.camosun.bc.ca/fibslide/jbfibslide.htm>.

4. "Fibonacci numbers and Golden ratio." Natural occurrence of Fibonacci numbers. N.p.,

n. d. Web. 20 May. 2012. <http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/numbers/interest/golden.htm>.

5. Parveen, Nikhat. "Fibonacci in Nature." N.p., n. d. Web. 20 May. 2012.

<http://jwilson.coe.uga.edu/emat6680/parveen/fib_nature.htm>.

Extra Credit: Biotech to Biopunk:

Last Thursday, Lejla Kucukalic delivered this speech to highlight the great impacts Science

Fiction and literature have on science. She presented a variety of different types of science

fiction literature and movies and explained how they influenced and perhaps motivated scientists

of their times. Kucukalic also suggested that science fiction books and movies often are a step

ahead of the science at the time and predict what is about to come in the field of science.

Through the lecture, she also summarized genetic types of scientists. They include human being

narratives, GMO narratives, monster narratives and biopunk. The scientists portrayed on novels

tend to be either insane and out of their minds or tormented by internal struggles. In fact,

scientists portrayed in novels and movies rarely seemed to have a “normal” personality,

especially evident in earlier works. For instance, a science fiction that she mentioned was

Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley. Biopunk ultimately is a combination of science fiction,

urban-industry, gothic fiction, and extreme violence. It is a movement towards public access to

genetic information.

References:

1. Boris Karloff-Annex. House of Frankenstein. N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 24 May 2012.

<http://www.doctormacro.com/movie star pages/Karloff, Boris-Annex.htm>.

2. Splice. N.d. Photograph. IMDbWeb. 24 May 2012. <www.imdb.com/title/tt1017460/>.

3. Tarantula. N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 24 May 2012.

<www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews21/tarantula_dvd_review.htm>.

4. The Deadly Mantis. N.d. Photograph. n.p. Web. 24 May 2012.

<www.imdb.com/title/tt0050294/>.

5. UCLA CNSI. Biotech to Biopunk: Science Fiction’s Visions of Genetics.

<http://www.artsci.ucla.edu/?q=events/lejla-kucukalic-biotech-biopunk-sci>.

Conclusion:

I came into this class with a Psychobiology science background and an interest in art. I

didn’t know what to expect but ended this class understanding the magnificent connections that

one can draw from art and science. We explored topics such as genetic engineering, animals in

resources, medical technologies, aging, and food and discussed them in artistic perspectives. I

visited exhibitions by Noa Kaplan, Kathy Brew, and Paul Thomas and participated in many talks

in UCLA CNSI throughout the quarter. I learned more about the overlaps in biotechnology and

art from Professor Vesna and various guest speakers and interacted with classmates on a weekly

basis. We were asked to take the knowledge we learnt one step further and create an original idea

and project for our midterm. I came up with the idea of the Bioluminescence Experience, a

glowing enchanting garden. At the end of the class, classmates and I pooled our knowledge on

Alan Turing and dwelled deeper into his concept of Fibonacci numbers and the natural

occurrence of Fibonacci numbers in pine cones and plant leafs. I am grateful to come out of this

class enlightened with different perspectives on the sciences and new ideas on the connections

between science and art.