Hunter Pauker Ph.D

Artist/Scientist

Hi, I'm Hunter (b. 1995), an artist and scientist with an interest in the many facets that intersect both these fields, but primarily the current and historic aesthetics of the scientific sphere, and the use of further devleopment of cutting edge sceintific techniques in producing contemporary art.

Everything you see on this site, including the site itself, is made start to finish with one set of hands (with support from friends and loved ones).

The cost of computation continues to decrease, and advances in computational chemistry have increased accuracy in predicting chemical behavior. Although there is no replacement for a wet lab, computational chemistry is relatively inexpensive for understanding complex chemical systems. While there is great potential for application in the chemistry I have studied, the primary motivation for my scientific research has been to disseminate the use of computational chemistry by developing structures and methods for exploring chemical systems in a concise, methodical, and affordable way. My scientific research has focused on developing methods to learn about and optimize the properties and behavior of families of similar catalysts. Using several families of organnometallic catalysts and the reactions they catalyze as case studies, the spectrum of behaviors of these catalysts are realized by using machine learning and regression techniques to analyze data derived from various computational chemistry calculations.

I really fell in love with making art in my ceramics class in high school, where I became obsessed with making pots on the wheel. I have pursued other mediums, and even other pursuits within clay, but my practice has a hard time straying from making pots out of clay. This is most likely explained by my anthropomorphic view of the vessel, and my unconditional love for all humans. For the longest time my favorite part of making pots has been glazing. Glazing is the final prebirth journey before the green pot dies and is reborn in the kiln. After firing my pots they are often covered in epoxy resin and paint. This resin and paint is meant to do two things. First, it protects the sharp and fragile surfaces of the pot from hurting others, as well as preventing damage to this fragile surface. However, it also allows the pot to age. Ceramics are incredibly chemicically inert, they do not change overtime. However, resin does. The resin yellows and the paints fade over time due to sunlight and heat. Aging is privledge. It tells the story of who we are. I feel these vessels become more human as they develop the ability to change with time.

Bird Rock
San Diego, CA 92037
email: hpauker@uci.edu
phone: +1 (619) 985-1429