Photo credit: Carter Shelby
Materials Research Fellowship
2025
As a researcher and interdisciplinary designer, Amira Chowyuk merges methods and knowledge from science, philosophy, and design to contemplate social ideology, materiality, and the unifying principles and theories that bind the universe. Her work—written, visual, and physical—provokes us to notice that which too easily seeps into the peripheral, inviting us to explore what new could be discovered there. Particularly, her work aims to contextualize and reimagine our relationship to the physical world with a focus on circular materials, regenerative modes of making, and expression through craft. Presently, Amira is an MFA candidate at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn fusing her background in ecological research, renewable technology, and bioresource science with contemporary design practices, research methodologies, and visual media studies.
Tomato Bioleather
Short concept video narrating one tomato’s intrapersonal journey to escape the confines of their garden and become more than ketchup. Created as a conceptual branding and visual media project for a tomato bioleather company based in India.
Material Renascence
On-going research investigating the intersection of toxic materiality, social ideology, and material semiotics. Media projects include a two-minute video on spider silk with excerpts from Parallel Minds by Laura Tripaldi; material samples such as algae bio-yarn, agar-resin objects, and bioplastics derived from red algae, and biomaterial composites; perfect-bound pamphlet with attached bioleather strip, index poster design, and more.
Mini Biobook
Created with bioplastic sheets and recycled brown paper bag, and bound with sparkle thread.
As a researcher and interdisciplinary designer, Amira Chowyuk merges methods and knowledge from science, philosophy, and design to contemplate social ideology, materiality, and the unifying principles and theories that bind the universe. Her work— written, visual, and physical—provokes us to notice that which too easily seeps into the peripheral, inviting us to explore what new could be discovered there. Particularly, her work aims to contextualize and reimagine our relationship to the physical world with a focus on circular materials, regenerative modes of making, and expression through craft.
Presently, Amira Chowyuk is an MFA candidate at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn fusing her background in ecological research, renewable technology, and bioresource science with contemporary design practices, research methodologies, and visual media studies. Her inquiries investigate the intersections of material culture, material semiotics, biomaterials, ecology, visual communications, and design through various modes of essay, fabrication, and visual representation that respond to critical social, cultural, and environmental topics.
Her previous affiliations include the North Carolina Arboretum, North Carolina State University, ABB Group, University of Washington, the Pinchot Institute for Conservation, Port of Seattle, and Apple. She has published work in several scientific journals.
Selected works
67 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801
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