Christopher Hanusa 

Contest entry

Platonic Neurons consists of five 3D printed sculptures that straddle the domains of mathematics, computer science, and biology. These polyhedral neurons are created by choosing random points inside the solid, procedurally weighting the distances between them, and using Kruskal's algorithm to find a minimum weight spanning tree that connects all the points. The generative nature of the placement of the nodes leads to an organic result. Just as in a neuron, the center of each sculpture serves as the hub of the network. There is one sculpture for each of the classic platonic solids (Tetrahedron, Cube, Octahedron, Dodecahedron, and Icosahedron). The neurons are individually 3D printed in nylon and carefully hand dyed to create a vibrant radial gradient.

Artist biography

Christopher R. H. Hanusa is a mathematician, mathematical artist, and mathematics educator at Queens College of the City University of New York. He uses computational software to design artwork inspired by the inherent beauty of mathematics. He pushes boundaries of skills and knowledge to learn something new in each piece, striving for audience participation and engagement. The final pieces aim to inspire a curiosity about the mathematical nugget underlying the visualization. In addition to having over 30 articles published in peer-reviewed mathematics journals, he is the curator of MADE@QC, a digital exhibition of mathematical art.