In the summer of 2001, Ava Bromberg '02, with the support of an Emerson Grant, completed a project titled "Glaze Chemistry: Where Art Melts with Science, an Interdisciplinary Exploration." Working with Professor Robert Palusky from the art department and Associate Professor Karen Brewer from chemistry, Bromberg performed a time-consuming and somewhat tedious battery of tests on hundreds of ceramic tiles. In an attempt to find viable substitutes for commonly used glazes that are becoming increasingly scarce, she used hundreds of test glazes. In researching possible substitutes for these glazes, Bromberg varied temperatures and materials as she fired thousands of test tiles. She examined the chemical compositon of the glazes in conjunction with the structure and performance of the inorganic oxides, essential for providing color.
By the end of the summer, Bromberg had created a library of tile samples as well as a collection of glazes that will serve as an invaluable reference for future ceramic students. Serving double-duty, the tiles are now installed on the walls of Café Opus. Bromberg came back to campus after graduation this summer to complete their installation, ensuring that they would be used and enjoyed by a broader community for a long time.
