Ajés Phillips and I’m currently a 3rd year Design student. I have a strong passion for showcasing works deeply inspired by urban culture, human emotion, and environmental connection. My work aims to express and explore identity, emotion, and the future through mixed media, digital tools, and motion.Outside of art, I love visiting galleries, journaling, going to the gym, and reading. I was initially drawn to this residency because it offers a space for experimentation, exploration, and collaboration—two things that fuel my creativity. I want this program to help me improve my speculative design skills. As technology advances and space travel becomes more accessible, I’m curious about the cultural shifts that may follow. What are the needs of a society that treats space as an extension of Earth? How might I design for that future? I want to dive deeper into the uncertainty of space exploration and the possibilities emerging from advancements like nanotechnology and generative AI. Nothing in space is certain, but as a designer, I stay adaptive—designing for predictable, probable, and possible futures we may encounter sooner than we think 

Julietta is a multidisciplinary artist with a strong passion for exploring the intersection between humanity, technology, and emotional connection. I am currently a fourth-year Art Studio and Design major, and through a series of oil paintings and a sculpture, I am actively exploring various aspects of this intersection in my creative work. Beyond my art practice, I love traveling, exploring new places, learning about different cultures, and challenging myself with new projects. Whether it’s navigating unfamiliar cities, learning new skills, or immersing myself in different ways of life, I thrive on experiences that broaden my perspective and fuel my creativity. I believe that stepping outside of my comfort zone is essential for both artistic and personal growth.

I was drawn to the art residency because it represents an opportunity to embrace an unknown subject, develop ambitious work, and engage with a community that values innovation and thoughtful experimentation. The residency’s spirit of exploration resonates with my approach to both life and art, making it an ideal environment to push the boundaries of my practice and contribute meaningfully to a forward-thinking creative community. 

Zoe Paek is a 4th year undergraduate artist in residence double majoring in Art Studio and Design. Her emphases are in drawing, oil painting, costume and fashion design. She is currently interested in ways of incorporating fabric into her mixed media pieces.

As a former biomedical engineering major, she has yearned to reconnect with STEM in some artistic sense. When hearing about the CSER art residency program, she believed it to be a wonderful opportunity in learning how to blend these two fields of studies into one perfect marriage. Through this residency, she aims to overcome her preconceived notion that STEM and art should be separate and hopes to learn more about the world of space exploration